Redrawing of state electoral boundaries must be fair, non-partisan and free from gerrymandering, Rose reminds EC

KUCHING, Jan 24 2026: Persatuan Pemangkin Daya Masyarakat (Rose) has welcomed a recent affirmation by Minister of Law and Institutional Reform Azalina Othman Said that the next step in the Sarawak delineation process now rests with the Election Commission (EC), following the decision by the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (SLA) to increase its membership from 82 seats to 99 seats in Julyl last year.  

It said the redelineation exercise must strictly adhere to the constitutional provisions set out in he 13th Schedule of the Federal Constitution, ensuring that the redrawing of boundaries is fair, non-partisan, and free from gerrymandering and malapportionment, in line with fundamental democratic principles.

Rose sad based on the latest available data, Sarawak has approximately 2,000,000 registered voters as of May 2025.

“If representation were strictly equal, each SLA constituency should have around 20,000 voters,” it said in a statement.

However, it recognises Sarawak’s unique geographical realities, spanning approximately 124,450 square kilometres, which may justify some variation in voter numbers between constituencies.

“That said, the current level of disparity is unacceptable,” Rose said, citing  constituencies such as Gedong as an example that has approximately 10,000 voters, while urban constituencies like Senadin exceed 73,430 voters.

“In simple terms, the vote of a Gedong voter carries seven times more weight than that of a Senadin voter, despite both electing one representative to SLA.

“Such extreme discrepancies fundamentally undermine the principle of equal representation,” it stressed.

Rose called for a comprehensive redrawing of all SLA boundaries across Sarawak, based on the latest voter and population data at the polling district level.

It said this process should not only focus on the creation of new seats, but also include the division of existing polling districts where necessary to achieve fair and effective representation.

“This principle is clearly articulated in Section 2(c) of the 13th Schedule of the Federal Constitution, which states that the number of electors within each constituency in a State ought to be approximately equal except that, having regard to the greater difficulty of reaching electors in the country districts and the other disadvantages facing rural constituencies, a measure of weightage for area ought to be given to such constituencies.

“Existing disparities dilute the value of urban votes and erode the democratic principle that each voter’s voice  should carry more or less equal weight.

“We therefore propose that EC adopts a variation limit of plus or minus 20% from the state average,” it said, adding that while rural constituencies may justifiably have fewer voters due to population density, access, transportation, and community cohesion issues, such considerations must not result in extreme imbalances.

It pointed out that the gap between the smallest and largest constituencies must be reasonably minimised and constitutionally defensible.

It urged EC to conduct public roadshows and consultations to actively gather feedback from citizens, saying that it will independently organise a series of capacity-building workshops to educate concerned citizens and political party members on the redelineation process, their constitutional rights, and how to submit informed and substantiated objections should boundaries be drawn unfairly or inconsistently with constitutional principles.

The workshops will be held together with Tindak Malaysia as follows:

• Bintulu — 24 January

• Kuching — 31 January

• Sibu — 7 February

• Miri — 28 February

• Sri Aman — 7 March

• Bau — 14 March

It said that once EC publishes its proposed boundaries, it will support citizens in preparing and submitting formal representations and objections, as provided for under the Thirteenth Schedule of the Federal Constitution.

“We call on all concerned citizens to participate actively in these training sessions and take ownership of the democratic process.

“Complaining online without action will not result in fair representation. This is a critical opportunity for Sarawakians to exercise their rights and ensure that every vote carries fair and equal value in shaping the future of the state,” Rose said.

Pig, pork become hot topics among netizens after Willie raised the issues in Parliament

The issues on pig and those consuming pig meat or pork have become hot topics among netizens on social media.

Willie Mongin: He raised the issues in Parliament that sparked debates among the netizens on social media 

This followed when Puncak Borneo Member of Parliament Willie Mongin, in parliament, slammed those who insulted people who consumed pork.

The anti-pork netizens questioned those who eat pork which they condemned as smelly.

They made the uncalled for remarks in responses to a  post by Facebook account holder identified as Mia Emelia who wrote that “BABI tu busuk, Bygkan betapa busuknya org yg mkn benda busuk!!” . Her posts recorded 530 “likes”, 323 reactions and shared 29 times that prompted Mongin to bring up the issue in Parliament two days ago.

Willie said the Dayak community has never insulted people who chose to eat other food items, like belacan and budu, which are also smelly.

He said people who don’t eat pork should respect those who do.

He questioned there is nothing wrong with people eating pork, saying:”Not not many the Dayaks are involved in corruption, taking drugs or doing strange things”.

Some netizens pointed out that Mongin was not referring to the Sultan of Selangor who recently decreed that there should no longer be pig farming operations in Tanjung Sepat, Kuala Langat.

The Selangor Royal Office, in a statement, said existing operations in the area must be stopped gradually before being fully relocated to Bukit Tagar, in accordance with a structured plan and in compliance with all legal requirements and related regulations.

The decree followed an audience session at Istana Bukit Kayangan involving Selangor Infrastructure and Agriculture Committee chairman  Izham Hashim and Local Government and Tourism executive councillor Ng Suee Lim.

The Sultan scrutinised issues related to the management and operational direction of pig farming in the state, taking into account public interest, environmental well-being and social harmony.

The netizens said Mongin was clearly referring to Mia Emelia’s post and the comments that followed the post

Posting on his official Facebook, he said "As a Dayak, I have never insulted other people's food, but I am often the target of criticism just for eating pork."

Willie said that the Dayak community "doesn't take many bribes, doesn't get involved in drugs, doesn't do strange things", but is still looked down upon and insulted just because of the choice of food.

“I am not talking about the pig pen, because I also don't agree with the pig pen in an inappropriate place, I'm just reprimanding netizens who are angry about the pig pen but are angry, insulting and insulting all pig eaters.

“Why associate all pig eaters, your religion does not eat pork, that's your business. But don't insult other people's food.

“I also compared the smell of local food such as budu and belacan, which also smell and I emphasize that we remain respectful and we do not insult and insult,” he wrote.

Willien’s Facebook was flooded with reactions, many supporting him as well as criticising him.

Sagah says children entering school at age 6 is reasonable step

KOTA SAMARAHAN, Jan 23 2026: Sarawak Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister Roland Sagah Wee Inn has welcomed the implementation of the National Education Plan 2026–2035 announced by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim recently.

Caotion: Roland Sagah Wee Inn (centre) speaking to reporters 

 He considered the plan that stipulates that children enter school at the age of six and preschool education begins as early as five years old as a reasonable step in strengthening the foundations of education and enabling early intervention to be implemented more effectively.

He said the policy is under the jurisdiction of the federal government and is made based on the current needs of the country's education system.

"This plan is indeed determined by the federal government, including the policy of entering school at the age of six and preschool at the age of five. Actually, this is not something new," he told reporters after the Certificate Presentation Ceremony of the Semiconductor Mastery Programme organised by SMD Semiconductor at SMD Academy today.

According to him, entering school at the age of six has long been practiced and does not affect children's development, but is even more relevant in the current context when children are exposed to the learning environment early.

“Nowadays, children are sent to play schools from a young age. They learn to socialise, interact and play while learning. So, when they reach the age of four or five, they are familiar with the learning environment,” he explained.

Commenting on the concerns over the readiness of children in rural areas, he said various efforts have been implemented to ensure that access to early education can be enjoyed more comprehensively.

"We have greatly improved facilities including kindergartens in rural areas through KEMAS and also the SeDidik kindergartens under the Sarawak government. Although not all conditions can be met, the majority of the community is actually ready," he said.

On the implementation of academic assessments at the early stages of schooling, including the proposed examinations around Year Four, Sagah said it aims to identify students' weaknesses early and is not punitive.

"This early assessment is important for intervention. It does not mean that students who fail will be expelled from school. But it gives us an indication of the form of assistance and support programs that need to be provided," he said.

He stressed that delaying intervention can have long-term effects on students.

"If we wait until Year Six or Form Three to realise that students cannot read and write, it is already too late. That is why early intervention is better," he said.

He added that the implementation of stricter examinations at certain levels such as Year Six for the purpose of entry into international schools does not affect the existing intervention programme and is in line with the assessment approach at the national level,