KUCHING, March 23 2026: Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) president Voon Lee Shan (picture) has disagreed with the reasons given by Gabungan parti Sarawak (GPS) leaders for the increase in the number of Sarawak Legislative Assembly (SLA) seats from the present 82 to 99.
He said the justification of Sarawak’s vast geographical size as stated by the GPS leaders is weak and unconvincing.
“To date, no transparent study, independent report, or empirical data has been presented to prove that enlarging the legislature will improve governance, representation, or service delivery,” he said in a statement.
Voon said PBK is right to question this, saying that without evidence, this expansion looks less like a solution and more like a political exercise in patronage.
“An increase in political positions means an increase in public spending—more salaries, more allowances, more pensions, and more lifelong benefits borne by taxpayers.
“It raises a serious moral question - why should elected representatives qualify for pensions after a short stint in office—reportedly as little as around three years—while ordinary civil servants must dedicate decades of service to earn the same security?” he asked.
He claimed that this is not about strengthening democracy, but it is about expanding the political class at public expense.
Voon, a former DAP State Legislative Member (SLM) for Batu Lintang, claimed that more lawmakers do not automatically mean better governance.
“In reality, under Malaysia’s parliamentary system, major decisions are shaped and finalized by the executive—by cabinet—not by the legislature.
“The SLA too often functions as a rubber stamp, endorsing decisions already made behind closed doors,” he said.
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