What will Sarawak get under Anwar's federal budget 2026?

KUCHING, Oct 10 2025: Sarawak will receive RM6 billion in development allocation under the federal budget 2026, compared to RM6.9 billion that neighbouring Sabah will receive.

Anwar: Sarawak will be allocated RM6 billion in development allocation for next year

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, in tabling the budget in parliament today, said the two Borneo states will receive the highest allocations for next year.

He said the federal government is determined to ensure rapid development in the two states in line with the wishes of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

“This is not just a promise, but a concrete action to bridge the development gap, specially basic infrastructure, between the two states and the peninsula Malaysia,” Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, said.

He said Sabah and Sarawak will receive the special grant of RM600 million each.

On the Sarawak-Sabah Link Road 1 (SSLR 1), he said it is expected to be completed in November 2026 while SSLR 2 is under construction and is expected to be completed in mid-2029.

He added the Trans Borneo Highway (LTB) project will complete the Sabah-Sarawak connection road, saying a letter of acceptance  for its construction is expected to be issued early next year.

Anwar said the government will upgrade the existing road pavement structure for the red line alignment in the Durin and Salim sections in Sibu at a cost of RM350 million.

He added to ensure that Sabah, Sarawak and the peninsula enjoy the best digital benefits, the MADANI Submarine Cable Extension (SALAM) will be developed by the Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) along 3,190 kilometres at a cost of RM2 billion.

“This will involve an undersea route from Sedili in Johor, to Kuching and Sibu in Sarawak and then to Tuaran, Kudat, Banggi Island, Sandakan and Tawau in Sabah,” he said.

Anwar also announced other proposed projects, such as building the main road in Kapit Division from Nanga Serau to Nanga Seranau, and construction of health clinic with Mukah quarters within the Mukah Division Integrated Health Complex.

The others are the beef cattle production enhancement programme, paddy and rice industry empowerment programme and the people's residency programme (PRR) in Samariang.

He said an allocation of RM1.5 billion for the construction and upgrading new facilities for uniformed bodies, including the Sarawak police headquarters in Kuching, Sungai Tujoh ICQS in Miri and additional building for the 23^rd Battalion of the General Operation Force in Sri Aman.

Anwar also announced that for next year, all nine million STR recipients will also receive SARA up to RM100  per month or 1,200 ringgit per year.

Meanwhile, one million STR recipients under eKasih will receive SARA up to 200 ringgit per month or 2,400 ringgit per year.

The unmarried category will receive RM600, which is RM50 per month through SARA.

The maximum rate to be received by a household is RM4,600 for families with five children.

The Government will once again give RM100 under SARA to 22 million Malaysians aged 18 and above.

This will be channeled in mid-February in time for Ramadan preparations and Chinese New Year celebrations.

Anwar said new schools will be built to meet the needs of the local population, including

SK Sri Sadong in Serian and SMK Desa Wira in Batu Kawah.

He said three new unity activity centres will be built at a cost of RM46 million ringgit, including  Miri Unity Activity Centre.

Anwar said specifically for the people in rural and interiors of Sabah and Sarawak, RM250 million is provided to cover the cost of distribution of basic goods to areas such as Taradas, Kudat and Kawayoi, Kinabatangan, Sabah as well as Entaroh, Kapit and Nanga Segeris, Sibu.

Election Commission in process of preparing recommendations to review Sarawak's parliamentary electoral boundaries

KUCHING, Oct 10, 2025: -The Election Commission (EC) is in the process of preparing recommendations for a review of the parliamentary electoral boundaries for Sarawak, according to Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform), Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said. 

Caption: The time has come to review the parliamentary constituencies for Sarawak

She explained that the review is carried out based on the principles and procedures outlined under the Thirteenth Schedule of the Federal Constitution as well as the jurisdiction provided under Article 113 of the Federal Constitution. 

“The time has come to review  the parliamentary constituencies for Sarawak after eight years. The eight-year timeline had  ended on August 21, 2023, and at this time the EC is in the process of preparing the recommendations,” she said when explaining the current status of the re-delineation  process in a written reply to Pagoh Member of Parliament Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today. 

According to WAI.fm. Azalina also explained that for Sabah, the eight-year period ended on February 21, 2025, while for states in peninsular Malaysia, it will end on March 9, 2026.  

“The process for each state can only be implemented after the eight-year period ends or if there is a legal amendment to the number of members of the Dewan Rakyat or State Legislative Assembly,” she said. 

She further said that once the study recommendations for re-delineation for Sarawak have been prepared, a notice will be displayed to allow stakeholders to submit representations during the public exhibition period.  

She said if there are objections, a local inquiry will be held as provided for in Part II, Thirteenth Schedule of the Federal Constitution. 

“The local inquiry can be conducted at the request of the Sarawak government, local authorities or a group of at least 100 registered voters in the area concerned,” she added. 

 Azalina also stressed that issues of transparency or fairness do not arise in the redelineation process because every stakeholder will be given space to be involved. 

 “The Prime Minister will then have to table the demarcation review report and the draft demarcation order in the Dewan Rakyat to gain a simple majority support,” she explained. 

She stressed that the Dewan Rakyat members will play an important role when the motion is tabled later — whether to approve or reject it in line with the spirit of democracy and the transparency of the country’s electoral process.  

In August this year, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Sri Fadillah Yusof had said that the federal government had agreed in principle to consider increasing the number of parliamentary seats for Sabah and Sarawak. 

He had said the proposal was agreed in principle by Prime Minister Datuk Sri Anwar Ibrahim during the Malaysia Agreement 1963 Implementation Action Council (MTPMA63) meeting in Kuching. 

However, he said the proposed increase in the number of seats would require further discussions as there were differing legal views between the Attorney-General of Sarawak, Attorney-General of Sabah and federal Attorney-General.  

In the May sitting of the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (SLA), Deputy Minister of Law, Malaysia Agreement 1963 and State-Federal Relations, Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali had said no final decision had been made yet on the proposed re-delineation exercises of electoral boundaries in Sarawak. 

She said discussions between the state government and the federal government were ongoing, saying that the discussions on  strengthening Sarawak's representation in the Dewan Rakyat had remained active under the framework of MA63. 

She said the Sarawak government had consistently pursued the demand to restore the one-third representation for Sarawak and Sabah in Parliament as originally envisaged under the MA63 and the Inter-Governmental Committee Report 1962.