KUCHING: The coming Sarawak state election will involve the current 82 state constituencies instead of the proposed expansion to 99 seats, says Sarawak Speaker Tan Sri Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar.
He said the process of creating 17 new seats, which were approved by the Sarawak Legislative Assembly last year, had not been completed by the Election Commission (EC).
“So only 82 constituencies (will be contested),” he told a press conference at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly complex yesterday.
Asfia said he had notified the EC of the state assembly’s dissolution, which took effect on Monday with the consent of Sarawak Governor Tun Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.
He said Article 21(4) of the state constitution provides that an election must be held within 60 days from the date of dissolution, while the new state assembly must meet not less than 120 days later.
“Consequently, I have notified EC chairman Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun of the dissolution in a letter dated Oct 27 so that the commission can take the necessary action to determine the nomination and polling dates for the state election.
“The election is within the purview and exclusive preserve of the Election Commission to announce the dates of nomination day and polling day and conduct of elections, pursuant to Article 113 of the Federal Constitution,” he said.
Asked if he would be willing to contest amid talk of candidate changes in Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Asfia did not dismiss the possibility.
However, he said that under Sarawak law, the Speaker does not have to be an elected representative in the state assembly.
“But if I am nominated, my answer is ‘pantang undur bah (never retreat)’!
“The Speaker can contest if nominated by the party to which he belongs,” he said.
Asfia is currently serving his 10th term as Speaker after first being appointed on Nov 15, 2000.
He previously served as the assemblyman for Kuala Rajang and Serdeng/Semop.
He is also the permanent chairman of PBB, the main component party of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition.
