Another step towards the Borneo power grid realised with the operational of Sarawak-Sabah interconnection line

KOTA KINABALU, Jan 24 2026: Another step towards the establishment of the Borneo power grid has been realised with the successful delivery of the 275kV Sarawak-Sabah paralle interconnection line that was operationalised on Dec 13 last year. 

Premier Abang Johari Openg:  Reliable electricity is the backbone of economic  development and social wellbeing

Premier Abang Johari Openg said it is a significant milestone in the regional energy landscape.

“This event reflects a long-term strategic investment to enhance energy resilience, strengthen inter-state cooperation and support the sustainable growth of Sarawak, Sabah and the Borneo region as a whole,” he said.

He said the successful delivery is the result of close  coordination and shared commitment between Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) and Sabah Electricity, with strong support from both state  governments, the federal government, regulators,  technical teams and project partners throughout the  development and implementation of the  interconnection.

“With this interconnection, we take another important  step forward together towards sustainable growth  and prosperity for the region,” the premier said.

Abang Johari emphasised that  reliable electricity is the backbone of economic  development and social wellbeing, adding it powers  industries, enables businesses to grow, supports  public essential services, and sustains the daily lives  of the communities.

“Sarawak is blessed with abundant, predominantly  renewable energy resources, particularly  hydropower.

“With its strength in renewable energy,  Sarawak is well-positioned to its share power  resources with our Borneo neighbours – Sabah,  Brunei and Kalimantan, for our common benefits,” he said.

He said the shared milestone with Sabah builds on  Sarawak’s experience in cross-border power  cooperation.

The premier said since 2016, Sarawak has been exporting electricity  to West Kalimantan, marking our first cross-border  power interconnection.

“This decade-long partnership  has demonstrated the tangible benefits of regional  energy cooperation, including improved system  reliability, more efficient resource utilisation,  stronger cross-border relationships and enhanced  sustainability outcomes through reduced reliance on  carbon-intensive generation,” he added.

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.