A source familiar with the plan told FMT that PBB is poised to gain 10 out of the 17 new seats, including seven in Malay-majority areas and three in Melanau-majority constituencies.
PBB is the dominant party in the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition and holds the most seats (47) in the current 82-member state assembly. Seven new seats are to be allocated to three other GPS members.
Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) will be allocated three of the new seats – one in a Chinese-majority area and two in mixed Chinese-Iban areas.
Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) will be allocated two seats, both in Iban-majority areas, while the Progressive Democratic Party will also get two seats: one in a Bidayuh-majority constituency and the other in an Orang Ulu-majority area.
According to the source, among the new Malay-majority seats likely to be created for PBB are Sejinjang (Santubong), Serapi and Semarak (Petra Jaya), Bukit Kemuyang (Sibu), and Permaisuri (Miri). The Melanau-majority areas expected are Susur Jambu (Sarikei) and Oya (Mukah).
For SUPP, the Chinese-majority seat is expected to be Seladah (Bandar Kuching), while the mixed seats include Tanahmas (Lanang) and Sungai Merah (Sibu).
The Iban-majority seats that are likely to go to PRS are Bukit Arip (Selangau) and Melekun (Kapit). Two others, Tabau and Tudan in Miri, could also fall under Iban-majority areas, although allocations may vary.
The Bidayuh and Orang Ulu seats expected are Jagoi (Mas Gading), Sungai Serin (Serian), and Usun Apau (Baram).
The source claimed the expansion of the state assembly was less about ensuring balanced representation and more about reinforcing GPS’s grip on power.
“Looking at the proposed seat breakdown, it is clear that the aim is to strengthen GPS’s dominance,” the source added.
State assembly speaker Asfia Awang Nassar said on Saturday that the bill provides for only an increase in the number of state assembly members and does not involve any redrawing of constituency boundaries, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Election Commission (EC).
The bill also does not involve the 31 parliamentary seats in Sarawak, which are determined by Parliament. In recent years, there has been a growing push for Sabah and Sarawak to be allocated one-third of the seats in Parliament, to reflect the balance at the time Malaysia was formed.