By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Sept 2: Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) Kakus Youth chief Dr Jawing Chungguat has called on all quarters in Selangau, regardless of political affiliation, to support efforts to make a formal and constructive case for an additional State constituency in the area, with Bukit Arip proposed as a potential new seat.
He said the proposal should be viewed as part of the ongoing public discussion on the future structure of representation in Selangau, rather than as criticism of the Election Commission (EC).
“I appeal to all quarters in Selangau—community and longhouse leaders, youth organisations, civil society, business communities and political stakeholders, regardless of political affiliation—to support the community’s efforts to make a formal and constructive case for an additional State constituency in Selangau,” he said in a statement today.
Jawing commended the EC for undertaking the constitutional review of Sarawak’s electoral boundaries and welcomed the proposed increase of 17 State constituencies, from 82 to 99.
He said the expansion of representation was particularly relevant to Sarawak given its vast geographical area, dispersed rural and interior communities and significant distances between settlements.
“Strengthening representation is therefore an important step towards ensuring that government programmes and elected representatives remain connected to the people they serve,” he said.
However, he said P.214 Selangau should receive further consideration for an additional State constituency, specifically through the proposed Bukit Arip constituency.
Under the current proposal, Selangau is not allocated an additional State seat.
Jawing said the situation presented an opportunity for residents and stakeholders in Selangau to put forward their circumstances to the authorities during the ongoing delimitation process.
He pointed out that P.214 Selangau covers approximately 9,193 square kilometres—larger than Selangor—and has nearly 49,266 registered voters spread across more than 800 longhouses and rural settlements.
Within the parliamentary constituency, N.60 Kakus alone covers about 5,701 square kilometres and has nearly 23,955 voters, while N.59 Tamin covers about 3,492 square kilometres and has approximately 25,311 voters.
“These are substantial constituencies, but the challenge goes beyond voter numbers,” he said.
Jawing said communities in Selangau were spread across rivers, rural roads, plantations and hilly terrain, often separated by considerable distances, making representation and service delivery more challenging than in more compact constituencies.
He said the creation of a Bukit Arip constituency would provide an opportunity to bring representation, government programmes and development planning closer to communities currently spread across a large geographical area.
“It would strengthen the ability to identify local needs, coordinate development initiatives and ensure that government services reach rural communities more effectively,” he said.
Jawing also linked the proposal to Sarawak’s next phase of development under the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030), saying rural communities should not only benefit from development but also be equipped to participate in the digital economy, modern agriculture, entrepreneurship, education, skills development and emerging economic opportunities.
“Our rural youth must be at the centre of this transformation. Stronger local representation can provide a more effective platform for youth skills development, digital literacy, entrepreneurship, education and community-based economic initiatives.
“We should be preparing young people in rural Selangau not merely for the challenges of today, but for the economy and society of the next 10 to 20 years,” he said.
Jawing said the proposed expansion of the Sarawak Legislative Assembly was therefore an opportunity to look beyond the number of seats and consider how representation could strengthen the long-term capacity of rural communities.
“As PRS N.60 Kakus Youth chief, I respectfully call for a third seat in Selangau, with DUNS Bukit Arip considered as part of the ongoing public discussion on the future structure of representation in our constituency.
“For Selangau to be fully prepared for the challenges of a rapidly changing economy and PCDS 2030, our systems of representation must be capable of reaching our rural community. A stronger rural voice today will give Selangau greater capacity to shape its own future tomorrow,” he added. — DayakDaily
