By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Sept 1: The Election Commission (EC) has proposed 17 new State constituencies in Sarawak, while recommending changes to the names of 10 existing State seats and one federal constituency under the 2026 electoral boundary review now open for public inspection.
The proposed recommendations, issued in accordance with Section 4 of Part II of the 13th Schedule to the Federal Constitution, will be available for inspection from Sept 1 to Sept 30 during normal office hours at the offices of municipalities, local authorities and Residents’ offices across Sarawak.
The proposed 17 new Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUNS) constituencies are:
- N.02 Jagoi
- N.06 Pasir Pandak
- N.09 Matang
- N.10 Semarak
- N.16 Tabuan Jaya
- N.19 Maong
- N.23 Samarindah
- N.26 Sungai Serin
- N.53 Igan
- N.61 Tanah Mas
- N.66 Sungai Merah
- N.66 Bukit Kemuyang
- N.75 Melekun
- N.84 Batu Niah
- N.89 Permaisuri
- N.90 Tudan
- N.93 Usun Apau
Under the recommendations, the federal or parliamentary constituency of Igan is also proposed to be renamed P.207 Batang Lassa.
The EC has further proposed changes to the names of 10 existing State constituencies.
- Opar would be renamed N.01 Serayan
- Tasik Biru to N.03 Singai
- Tarat to N.27 Bung Sadung
- Semop to N.50 Muara Lassa
- Jemoreng to N.62 Matu
- Bawang Assan to N.67 Rassau
- Jepak to N.80 Jepak Jaya
- Lambir to N.86 Pantai Beraya
- Senadin to N.91 Lopeng
- Ba’kelalan to N.98 Gunong Murud.
The review is based on the total of 2,037,648 electors recorded in the electoral roll determined by the EC and endorsed and gazetted on Jan 29, 2026.
Members of the public may also obtain the proposed recommendations and draft constituency plan from the EC’s official website.
Any representations concerning the recommendations may be submitted to the EC within one month from the date of publication of the notice.
The EC said a local inquiry would be held into representations objecting to the proposed recommendations from eligible parties, including the Sarawak government, local authorities whose areas are wholly or partly within constituencies affected by the recommendations, or a body comprising 100 or more persons whose names appear on the current electoral rolls of the constituencies concerned.
If approved, the proposed 17 additional seats would increase the number of Sarawak DUN constituencies from 82 to 99.
However, the proposed new constituencies may not be contested in the next election if the 13th Sarawak Election is held before the expiry of the current term of the State Legislative Assembly.
The Sarawak DUN on July 7, 2025, approved the proposal to increase the number of state seats by 17 through the State Legislative Assembly (Membership) Bill 2025.
The Bill noted that the last electoral boundary review in Sarawak was conducted in 2015 and that the number of registered voters in the State had increased significantly since then.
The EC’s latest proposal now sets in motion the formal process for public representations and objections before the recommendations are considered further under the constitutional boundary review process. — DayakDaily
