Claims suggesting that specific political parties have already been allocated 17 proposed state seats in Sarawak are likely the work of individuals attempting to stir trouble.
PBB information chief Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah dismissed these rumours as baseless, noting that the Election Commission has not yet conducted the necessary delineation of the constituencies.
The minister clarified that reports circulating about the guaranteed distribution of seats among component parties, such as Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu and the Sarawak United People’s Party, lack any official standing.
He stressed that neither party has the authority to claim seats that do not yet exist, as the exact locations and boundaries remain undecided.
Concerns over electoral integrity
These clarifications followed calls from civil society groups urging Election Commission chairman Ramlan Harun to maintain integrity throughout the upcoming redelineation process.
Their concerns were sparked by a circulating slide deck that allegedly provided granular details on 17 new constituencies, including their ethnic demographics and which Gabungan Parti Sarawak parties would contest them.
The Sarawak state assembly had previously passed a bill in July to expand the number of seats from 82 to 99. However, the minister reiterated that the formal process must be followed and cautioned the public against relying on unverified online reports that could lead to internal friction within the ruling coalition.
Awaiting parliamentary endorsement
Karim suggested that the spread of such stories might be a deliberate attempt to create confusion or discord among the coalition partners. He questioned why there is ongoing speculation about parties arguing over seat allocations when the state is still awaiting the necessary endorsement from Parliament.
The PBB information chief urged all parties to remain patient and ignore misinformation intended to disrupt political stability.
He maintained that the official delineation process under the Election Commission must be completed before any discussions regarding candidate placement or seat distribution can legitimately take place.
