Sarawak's 17 new state seats unlikely to make next election — EC

KUCHING: The newly proposed 17 state seats in Sarawak are unlikely to be in place for the upcoming state election, according to Election Commission chairman Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun. He emphasized that the review of the electoral boundaries for these seats would take longer than February 2027, the expiry date of the Sarawak government's term.

As the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly's term ends in February 2027, it is expected that the new seats will not be utilized in the forthcoming state election, stated Harun while discussing the Sarawak Electoral Boundary Review at the Kuching North City Hall. In July, the Sarawak Legislative Assembly approved the State Legislative Assembly (Composition of Members) Bill 2025, which proposes adding 17 new seats, raising the total number of seats from 82 to 99.

So far, the EC has received 18 objections to the proposed electoral boundary review, addressing various concerns like changes to polling district centers and naming issues of certain state constituencies in Sarikei, Bintulu, and Sibu. The authorities will thoroughly examine these matters before making a decision.