By Karen Bong
KUCHING, July 12: Increasing the number of Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUS) seats from 82 to 99 will ensure more efficient governance and allow elected representatives to better serve rural constituencies, says Deputy Prime Minister Dato Sri Fadillah Yusof.
He expressed full support for the move, stating that the decision had been carefully studied at the State level and justified through proper debates in the Sarawak Assembly.
“Personally, I support this. Sarawak is vast. The size of our State alone warrants more representation. Some argue the number of seats should be based on population, but in Sarawak, we must also consider geographical size, administrative needs, and ethnic group representation,” he said in a pre-recorded interview after a brief visit to participants of the Microsoft AI For My Future course for the Petra Jaya parliamentary constituency held at CENTEXS in Santubong today.
Fadillah explained that many remote areas in Sarawak are still underrepresented due to their geographical challenges, and increasing the number of constituencies would ensure that each community has a voice in the legislative assembly.
“When new constituencies are created, it allows people in those areas to have elected representatives who can raise their local issues.
“Take Hulu Rajang for example, it is as large as the entire state of Pahang, but only has one MP and three state seats. Compare that to Pahang,” he pointed out.
He emphasised that this increase will not only enhance administrative effectiveness but also accelerate development efforts, particularly in underserved rural areas.
“This move aligns with our vision to make Sarawak a prosperous and developed region by 2030. More importantly, it allows for better governance and efficient resource management across the state,” he said.
Fadillah also stressed that the priority must be on building an inclusive administration that can respond to the needs of all communities, regardless of their location.
“With the addition of more seats, I am confident that the people, especially those in rural areas, will benefit through stronger representation and improved delivery of services,” he added. – DayakDaily
