By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Mar 9: Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap Yau Sin has urged the Election Commission (EC) to clarify the timeline for the redelineation of Sarawak’s electoral boundaries following the State Legislative Assembly’s (DUS) approval to increase the number of seats from 82 to 99.
In a recent statement, Yap said the redelineation exercise must be completed before the 17 additional constituencies can officially take effect.
“Under the Federal Constitution, once the EC completes the redelineation exercise including the publication of proposals, public objections and local inquiries, the final report must be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat for approval,” he said.
Amid this process, Yap noted that there is growing public discussion on whether the next Sarawak election will only be held after the new seats are formally gazetted.
He said many Sarawakians are questioning whether political circles have reached an informal consensus on the matter or whether the timing of the election will ultimately be decided independently of the completion of the redelineation process.
In this regard, he added that if the redelineation report is tabled and approved during a forthcoming parliamentary sitting, the public would want to know how long the remaining administrative steps will take before the new constituencies become operational.
“Voters are concerned about fair and effective representation, noting that the additional seats were intended to ensure growing populations and expanding communities in Sarawak receive better representation in the DUS,” he stressed.
He therefore urged the EC to expedite the redelineation process so that the report can be presented to the Dewan Rakyat without unnecessary delay.
According to him, clear timelines and transparent procedures would help avoid speculation and ensure the expansion of representation in Sarawak proceeds in an orderly, constitutional and fair manner. — DayakDaily
