EC says 17 new Sarawak seats unlikely ready for next state election

KUCHING, Sept 24 — The Election Commission (EC) chairman, Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun, has stated that the 17 proposed new Sarawak state seats are unlikely to be ready for the upcoming state election. Ramlan explained that the review of the electoral boundaries for these seats would take longer than the projected date of February 2027, which marks the expiration of the Sarawak government's term in office.

He emphasized that based on the necessary procedures involved, the new seats will not be utilized in the next state election. This announcement comes after the Sarawak Legislative Assembly passed the State Legislative Assembly (Composition of Members) Bill 2025 in July, which aimed to add 17 new seats to the electoral system, raising the total number of seats from 82 to 99.

Ramlan also disclosed that the EC has received 18 objections to the proposed Sarawak Electoral Boundary Review so far, with concerns ranging from alterations in polling district centers to discrepancies in the names of certain state constituencies, particularly in Sarikei, Bintulu, and Sibu. He assured that these issues will be thoroughly assessed and examined in the coming period.