Pujut State Assemblyman, Adam Yii participate in the debate on the Bill: Dewan Undangan Negeri (Composition of Membership) Bill, 2025 to increase the membership from present 82 to 99.
Before I proceed further, and on behalf of my constituents of N74 Pujut and my family, I would like to express our deepest condolences to our beloved YAB Premier, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Hj Abdul Rahman Zohari Bin Tun Datuk Abang Haji Openg on the passing of his beloved wife, Puan Sri Datuk Amar Juma’ani Tuanku Bujang on June 23rd, 2025. Our thoughts and sympathy are with our beloved YAB Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Hj Abdul Rahman Zohari Bin Tun Datuk Abang Haji Openg and his family.
Tan Sri Datuk Amar Speaker
I rise today to express my full support for the Dewan Undangan Negeri (Composition of Membership) Bill 2025.
The rationale and justification for this bill has been very well articulated by the Minister for Tourism, Creative Industries and Performing Arts, YB Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah when he tabled this bill this morning.
Tan Sri Datuk Amar Speaker
Over the years, the composition of Dewan Undangan Negeri has been amended in response to the changing times and circumstances. The assembly has 48 seats in 1969, 56 seats in 1985, 62 seats in 1995, 71 seats in 2005 and eventually 82 seats in 2014.
And today, we are debating the bill Dewan Undangan Negeri (Composition of Membership) Bill, 2025 to increase the number of seats of 82 seats to 99 seats.
The tabling of this bill today is timely, strategic, and necessary that reflects the growth, aspirations, and to address the present circumstances and environment.
Under the automatic voters registration and the Undi 18, the lowering the voting age from 21 years old to 18 years old, the number of voters in Sarawak has a dramatic increase from 1,252,014 registered voters in PRN 2021 to 2,015,859 voters gazetted on 21st May, 2025. This is an increase of 763,845 voters and that is 61% increase as compared to the number of registered voters at PRN 2021.
Now, this bill seeks the increase from 82 seats to 99 seats, that is 17 seats and a 20 % increase.
Tan Sri Datuk Amar Speaker
It is important to note that this bill only enacts the composition of the membership of the Dewan Undangan Negeri, meaning the number of seats for the Dewan Undangan Negeri. It does not deal with the delineation of the respective seats. The delineation of the respective seats falls under the jurisdiction of Election Commission (SPR). However, it is expected that the delineation exercise will take into account both the number of voters as well the size of the respective constituency in order to be fair, equitable and balanced.
Tan Sri Datuk Amar Speaker
Under the dynamic leadership of our YAB Premier, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Hj Abdul Rahman Zohari, Sarawak is forging ahead proactively and aggressively to develop Sarawak into a high income state under the Post COVID Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030).
Therefore, one of the rationale for the increase of the number of seats from 82 to 99 is to ensure that development and services can be effectively delivered to the people on the ground so that no one is left behind.
Tan Sri Datuk Amar Speaker
The bigger political perspective is that upon the amendment to Article 1(2) and Article 160(2) of the Federal Constitution 2021, Sarawak, Sabah and Malaya are now officially recognized as equal partners in the formation of Malaysia, as originally intended under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA 63).
And it is under MA 63, we are seeking, together with Sabah, to have one third of parliamentary seats. And this increase of the number of seats in our Dewan Undangan will provide the legal and constitutional basis for an increase of parliamentary seats for Sarawak in the near future.
Tan Sri Datuk Amar Speaker
I find the pontification by YB Pending and YB Padungan most entertaining. I say entertaining because they are really meant for enterntainment only. I would like to draw the attention of this Dewan that YB Padungan had once articulated so eloquently in this august Dewan that once Pakatan Harapan is in power at the federal level, Sarawak will get 20% oil and gas royalty automatically without begging. And what do we get? A big fat zero. There are many more of such theatrics that I do not need to elaborate here. As a matter of fact, there is hardly any issues articulated by them have ever come to pass.
Moreover, YB Padungan has predictably registered his opposition to the increase of the composition of membership of Dewan Undangan Sarawak while expressing his support for Sarawak to increase of the number of the parliamentary seats. There seemed that he has a disconnect here because he failed to recognize the relation between state seats and parliamentary seats. There will not be an increase in parliamentary seats if there is no corresponding increase in the number of the state seats.
Tan Sri Datuk Amar Speaker
With that, N 74 Pujut fully supports this Dewan Undangan Negeri (Composition of Membership) 2025 as a necessary and strategic move towards realizing the aspirations of our people, strengthening Sarawak’s political standing, securing a future where the Sarawak’s people voices are heard, our rights protected, and our destiny is shaped by ourselves Sarawakians.
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