PRS seeks allocation of new rural seats in upcoming redelineation

KUCHING (Oct 27): Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) hopes that new seats created in rural areas during the upcoming redelineation exercise will be allocated to the party to contest.

Party president Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum stated that the current rural parliamentary and state constituencies, including those now represented by PRS, are too large, making it difficult for services and projects to reach the constituents effectively.

He emphasised that PRS, being a rural-based party, would like the rural seats to be slightly smaller and more manageable to enable the assemblypersons (ADUNs) and members of parliament (MPs) to deliver services more effectively.

“At the moment, they (the rural constituencies) are too large and they do not get the right or proportionate allocation for them to start comparing themselves to the people closer to urban areas. If PRS sounds very stubborn, it is because we want to (effectively) serve the community.

“And we are not asking for all those new seats to be created to be given to PRS, but (for) the new seats representing the rural communities so as to enable the projects or services to be delivered with greater ease,” he said at the PRS 20th anniversary dinner at a leading hotel last night.

It has been reported that Sarawak is due for a review on redelineation of electoral boundaries, given the minimum eight-year interval from the last review and delineation exercise conducted in 2015.

On a related matter, Salang said PRS will defend all the seats traditionally contested by the party in the next state election.

PRS currently represents 12 state seats, namely Balai Ringin, Bukit Begunan, Batang Ai, Ngemah, Tamin, Kakus, Pelagus, Bukit Goram, Baleh, Belaga, Murum and Samalaju.

The parliamentary seats traditionally contested by PRS are Sri Aman, Lubok Antu, Julau, Kanowit, Selangau and Hulu Rajang.

He hoped that other components of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) would help PRS win these seats, and likewise, the PRS members and leaders in non-PRS constituencies are also asked to assist the other GPS components.

Meanwhile, PRS secretary general Datuk Dr Malcolm Mussen Lamoh, in the opening speech, said numerical size matters in politics, and therefore, PRS should expect to receive a proportionate number of new seats in the next redelineation exercise by the Election Commission.

“Hopefully, we can get better deal, since over the years, we’ve been dwindlingly under-represented,” he added.

Mussen also welcomed the younger generation to the party to shape and introduce change by using their influence through the multimedia or direct involvements in networks through clubs, associations or social platforms.

“Please use your versatility, empathy and self-respect to show your good intentions to encourage today’s naysayers or non-believers to become our party supporters,” he added.