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DUN Speaker: Sarawak needs more state, parliamentary constituencies

Posted on 18 Aug 2022
Source of News: Borneo Post Online

Asfia (sixth left) presents Katibas assemblyman Lidam Assan (fourth left) with a copy of the DUN Sub-National Statistics Book for Katibas constituency while other state elected representatives look on. – Photo by Muhammad Rais Sanusi

KUCHING (Aug 18): There is a need for Sarawak to increase its state and parliamentary constituencies, said State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Speaker Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohammad Asfia Awang Nassar.

He said this was based on the census conducted by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).

He however pointed out that there may be a challenge to increase seats at parliamentary level as this has to go through the Dewan Rakyat.

“It is a bit difficult at the Dewan Rakyat because a two-third majority is needed and we don’t have the simple majority there.

“But in Sarawak, there is no problem because our majority is more than two-thirds,” he said.

Nevertheless, he said there would be no rush in the implementation anytime soon as it is too near to the looming general election.

Sarawak currently has 82 state constituencies and 31 parliamentary constituencies.

Earlier in his speech, Asfia said statistics obtained from the Malaysia Census 2020 have found that the highest population in a Sarawak constituency was recorded in Senadin with a population of 132,000 followed by Tupong with 91,000.

He also said that the Census found that a lot of retirees resided in Betong and Sri Aman and that there’s also an increase of 47,000 voters in Bintulu parliamentary constituency.

“Such statistics and data enable us to plan where we should increase our seats at DUN and parliamentary level,” he said.

Based on the main findings of the Census, Sarawak recorded a population of 2.453 million people with an average annual growth rate of 0.2 per cent from 2011 to 2020, with Kuching district having the highest population at 609,000.

Sarawak also recorded more males than females with a gender ratio of 107 males for every 100 females.

Also present were Malaysia chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Usit Mahidin, who is also the Census 2020 commissioner; and Deputy State Secretary (Administration) Datu Ik Pahon Joyik, who is also Sarawak Census deputy commissioner.