By DayakDaily Team
BETONG, Sept 6: An additional Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUS) seat for Betong Division could be considered in the long term to better serve its widely dispersed rural communities, says Layar assemblyman Datuk Gerald Rentap Jabu.
In a TVS report, he said population should remain an important consideration in determining DUS representation, but it should not be viewed in isolation from the size and geographical spread of constituencies, particularly in rural and interior areas.
According to Gerald, larger constituencies can present practical challenges in delivering services and ensuring communities have sufficient representation.
He pointed to Telang Usan as an example, saying its vast geographical area was comparable to that of Pahang despite having only one assemblyman.
“Telang Usan is as big as Pahang, but there is only one assemblyman looking after it. In terms of facilities, there are also challenges.
“So, we need to look at it practically and also in terms of giving the community more space to have its voice,” he said when met by reporters after the All Souls’ Day Assistance Presentation Programme with the Che Zhong Khor Association here today.
Gerald said the issue of DUS representation should therefore be assessed from a practical perspective, particularly when considering the needs of communities spread across large rural areas.
He said a review of the distribution of seats could help ensure areas with challenging terrain and greater geographical coverage received more focused attention.
Gerald, who is also Sarawak Deputy Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development, said that after the redelineation of Sarawak’s DUS constituencies was completed, efforts could then focus on increasing parliamentary representation for Sabah and Sarawak.
He said stronger representation at the federal level would give both regions greater room to voice their interests, while also reflecting the spirit of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63). — DayakDaily
