By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Aug 25: Proposed new State constituencies involving Bau area will need continued Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government support and development to catch up with more established areas, says incumbent Tasik Biru assemblyman Datuk Henry Harry Jinep.
He said the creation of new constituencies would also require new leaders who could drive development in the areas.
“New areas definitely need new leaders. You need to have more development to catch up with other areas,” he said when commenting on the proposed electoral redelineation during a press conference in Bau today.
Henry, who is the Deputy Minister of Transport Sarawak (Riverine and Marine), also said voters would ultimately need to make a wise decision on who should represent the new areas, stressing that development remained a key consideration.
“If you give (the new area) to the Opposition, it will be left behind. So, you have to be very wise in our decision,” he added.
His remarks came amid a leaked Election Commission (EC) proposal to increase the number of Sarawak State constituencies from 82 to 99, with several new and reconfigured seats proposed across the State.
Under the leaked proposal, the existing Mas Gading parliamentary constituency would comprise four State constituencies — Serayan, Jagoi, Singai and Serembu.
The proposal is understood to involve the reconfiguration of existing constituencies, including Opar and Tasik Biru, alongside the creation of new seats.
Serembu, meanwhile, is an existing State constituency currently under the Puncak Borneo parliamentary constituency, and its appearance under Mas Gading in the leaked proposal indicates a proposed change in parliamentary alignment rather than the creation of a new State seat.
However, the exact boundaries and voter composition of the proposed constituencies cannot yet be confirmed as the EC has yet to formally display its recommendations.
Henry said his N.2 Tasik Biru constituency currently has about 30,000 registered voters and could be among the areas affected by the proposed changes.
“We don’t know yet. We have to wait for the EC to display (the proposal). After that, only then will we know which areas are involved, which are under the new areas and which are under the existing areas,” he explained.
He stressed that regardless of how the constituencies were eventually redrawn, voters should consider the development needs of the affected areas.
“Whatever happens, we still have to continue to support the government of the day,” he said. — DayakDaily
