By Nancy Nais
KUCHING, June 28: The proposal to add 17 new seats to the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUS) is unlikely to be tabled in the upcoming Parliament session this month.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Amar Fadillah Yusof said that while discussions to increase the number of seats from 82 to 99 are still ongoing at the federal level, the process involves lengthy procedures.
“According to information from the Election Commission (EC), it is most likely not going to make it in time. It will not be tabled as there are still several processes and procedures to be completed.
“At the earliest, I believe it can be exhibited to the public. After the exhibition, there will be a period for the public to raise objections and so on.
“So, the processes and procedures involved will likely not meet the timeline for this year. Therefore, it is most likely that it will only be brought forward next year,” he told reporters when met after the RISE – SPM Excellence Programme 2025 today.
On July 7, 2025, DUS passed the State Legislative Assembly (Membership Composition) Bill 2025, which saw the addition of 17 new seats, bringing the total to 99 seats.
When asked when the matter would likely be tabled next year, Fadillah, who is also Petra Jaya MP, said it depends on the EC.
“This is under the EC’s jurisdiction. They have their own procedures. Therefore, we should not interfere in EC matters,” he added.
Meanwhile, on the issue of traffic congestion in the Petra Jaya area, Fadillah said it is a common problem faced by cities today, including Kuching and other states, due to the increasing population and number of vehicles on the road.
“Yes, we have many roundabouts in Kuching. The main purpose of designing roundabouts is to slow down traffic and reduce untoward incidents. Secondly, it is for landscaping and the beautification of our city.
“If we design straight roads, we will only end up transferring the problem from one place to another,” he explained.
Fadillah also confirmed that the Public Works Department (JKR) conducts traffic flow studies every 10 years, while the Kuching North City Commission (DBKU) is working on new technical designs to address the issue. — DayakDaily
