GPS sources say Sarawak state polls may be called in early July 2025
KUCHING: The Sarawak state election could be called as early as July this year, with sources within the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition indicating that the State Legislative Assembly may be dissolved shortly after the conclusion of the Gawai Dayak festivities in June.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, GPS insiders said a dissolution in early July would allow polling to be held within July or by early August — well ahead of the assembly’s expiry on December 18, 2025.
“The current political situation in Sarawak is stable enough for GPS to return with a good majority even with the current 82 state constituencies.
“The Gawai Dayak will generate a festive mood among the Dayak community, who form the majority of voters in this state,” the source said.
GPS has been ramping up ground-level activity, rolling out community projects with substantial financial allocations across constituencies in what observers regard as early election groundwork.
While the election timing appears to be taking shape, a key prerequisite sought by GPS remains pending at the federal level.
Sarawak State Assembly Deputy Speaker Datuk Idris Buang had said the coalition is hoping to see Parliament approve an increase in the number of state constituencies from 82 to 99 before any election is announced.
The Sarawak state assembly passed the Dewan Undangan Negeri (Composition of Membership) Bill 2025 on July 7 last year, tabled by Sarawak Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, the assemblyman for Asajaya.
However, the bill still requires federal parliamentary approval before the Election Commission can act on it.
“GPS is not under any pressure to review the next state election dates. The Premier will make this decision, but we would like to see the seat increase approved before we announce the state polls,” Idris said at a Ramadan bazaar event in Kuching.
He nonetheless acknowledged the fallback position clearly. “If Parliament does not approve in time for the impending Sarawak state elections, we will go to the polls with the current setup of 82 seats,” he said.
Idris, who also serves as GPS assemblyman for Muara Tuang near Kuching, argued that expanding the seat count is necessary given Sarawak’s vast geography and growing voter base.
He pointed to the expansion of the electoral roll following the reduction of the minimum voting age from 21 to 18, which has significantly increased the number of registered voters — particularly in rural areas with large and geographically complex constituencies.
The legal basis for the redelineation was laid out by Abdul Karim when he tabled the bill last year, citing Article 113(2) of the Federal Constitution, which permits a review of electoral boundaries after eight years.
The last redelineation exercise in Sarawak was conducted in 2015, making a fresh review both timely and constitutionally permissible.
GPS currently holds 80 of Sarawak’s 82 state seats, with Sarawak DAP holding the remaining two — Padungan and Pending.
The coalition’s overwhelming dominance gives it significant flexibility in determining the timing and conditions of the next election.
The Sun Malaysia
