By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Nov 24: The Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUS) today passed the Constitution of the State of Sarawak (Amendment) Bill, 2025, allowing the appointment of not more than four additional members to the Sarawak Cabinet.
The bill received strong bipartisan support, with 74 members voting in favour and only two opposing namely the assemblymen for Padungan and Pending. With the two-thirds majority requirement set at 55 votes, the bill comfortably passed. A total of 23 members also took part in the debate, with 21 speaking in support and only two from the opposition bench raising objections.
Tabled by Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, the amendment responds to Sarawak’s growing administrative and governance demands following the increase in constituencies from 82 to 99 under the Members of Sarawak Legislative Assembly (Composition of Members) Ordinance, 2025.
“With the increase in the number of constituencies and administrative areas, the present composition of the Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan Negeri (MMKN or Sarawak Cabinet) is no longer proportionate to the State’s expanding governance structure.
“It must also be acknowledged that several Ministers are currently entrusted with multiple portfolios, resulting in heavier administrative responsibilities and increased demands on Ministers to manage a wider range of duties across key sectors.
“Therefore, an increase in the number of members of the MMKN is both reasonable and necessary,” he told the august House today.
Abdul Karim said the move will strengthen the State’s executive machinery, enhance policy coordination, and ensure that ministerial portfolios can be distributed more evenly so that duties are carried out effectively.
“What is more important is that it will also enable the Sarawak government to respond more effectively to the needs of the people and to deliver services to the rakyat with greater focus and attention across all key sectors,” he stressed.
Under the current constitutional framework, the MMKN consists of the Premier and up to ten Ministers. With today’s amendment, the State may now appoint up to four additional Ministers, paving the way for more focused governance and improved service delivery.
Abdul Karim emphasised that the amendment is fully within Sarawak’s constitutional authority, citing Item 7 of the State List in the Ninth Schedule of the Federal Constitution, which gives the State power over its government machinery.
He noted that the amendment reflects the government’s commitment to evolving its executive structure in line with Sarawak’s growth and the aspirations of its people.
He also addressed criticisms levelled by the opposition regarding the Cabinet’s size and workload, asserting that such claims were unfounded and failed to reflect the realities of modern governance.
“There is a need for us to mature just as parents guide their children into adulthood; the same applies in politics. Grooming capable leaders takes time, and this is how I understand it from my years of experience. Ministers and deputy ministers who have been appointed will not complain about being overworked, as claimed by Padungan and Pending. None of us will say that the workload is too heavy.
“I believe that for any elected representative or minister, the honourable thing to do, if they feel overwhelmed, is to step down. There is no issue of excessive workload. Times have changed, and circumstances have evolved. The last amendment related to the composition of the Cabinet was made 30 years ago in 1995, and the situation then is very different from today.”
He said Sarawak is now more focused and fortunate to have Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg who leads decisively, supported by a government whose financial reserves have grown significantly over the past 30 to 40 years, a scenario that necessitates more capable and experienced executives.
Abdul Karim pointed out that in earlier decades, issues such as the environment, renewable energy, hydrogen, the digital economy, spectrum management or even tourism were not part of mainstream policy discussions, but today, they demand expertise and dedicated leadership.
“We need more qualified ministers who are knowledgeable about these evolving sectors. We also need the capacity and capability to pay competitive salaries and we have that now. This benefits both the government and the opposition. That is the perspective we must adopt,” he said.
He added that leadership is a long-term process, saying, “It takes years to mould a leader or a minister. I would not be here today without my 20 years of political experience. These future leaders are the ones who will guide Sarawak forward. The Premier and many of us will not be here forever; leadership is a cycle we must all acknowledge.”
Responding to claims of an “overbloated” Cabinet, Abdul Karim dismissed the argument as baseless.
“Sarawak is the same size as the whole of Peninsular Malaysia, yet we are only increasing our Cabinet from 10 to 14 members. The 10 states in the Peninsula each have around 10 EXCO members serving similar functions, so why is no noise made about that? The structure is fluid; the number can be reduced later depending on the State’s needs. There is no issue of an oversized Cabinet. 14 is not ‘too many’. It depends entirely on Sarawak’s budget and capacity. And at this moment, the need is clearly there.”
He concluded that the purpose of the Bill is consistent, that is to ensure that Sarawak’s governance and administrative system remains strong, stable, and capable of propelling the State to greater heights. — DayakDaily
