Malaysian civil groups urge fair Sarawak redelineation after leaked electoral map raises concerns
Civil society organisations in Malaysia have urged the Election Commission to ensure a fair electoral redelineation in Sarawak after a leaked blueprint allegedly outlined plans for 17 new state seats that may favour the ruling coalition, raising concerns over gerrymandering and unequal voter representation.
- Civil society groups warn a leaked electoral map may favour Sarawak’s ruling coalition.
- Concerns include unequal voter distribution, ethnic seat allocation, and possible political involvement.
- Groups urge the Election Commission to ensure transparent and constitutionally fair redelineation.
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Civil society organisations in Malaysia have urged the Election Commission (EC) to ensure integrity and independence in the upcoming electoral redelineation exercise in Sarawak, following the circulation of a leaked presentation that appears to outline a politically advantageous electoral map.
In a joint statement released on 7 March 2026, five organisations warned that the alleged blueprint could undermine fair representation if adopted.
They called on EC chairperson Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun to guarantee a transparent and impartial delineation process.
The groups raising the concerns include Project Stability and Accountability for Malaysia (Projek SAMA), the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih), Engage, Persatuan Pemangkin Daya Masyarakat (ROSE) Sarawak, and Persatuan Bertindak Pilihan Raya Bebas dan Saksama (Tindak).
Leaked blueprint raises concerns
According to the statement, a deck of around 98 slides circulating online appears to present a detailed plan for the creation of 17 additional state legislative seats in Sarawak.
The plan reportedly outlines where the seats would be located, their electorate sizes, ethnic compositions and which parties within the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition would likely contest them.
Civil society groups warned that the proposals appear to favour GPS, particularly its largest component party, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB).
They argued that such arrangements, if implemented, could amount to gerrymandering and malapportionment, practices that manipulate electoral boundaries to benefit certain political interests.
Uneven distribution of voters
One major concern highlighted by the organisations is the apparent disparity in voter numbers between constituencies in the proposed plan.
For example, the suggested new seat of Seledah in the Stampin parliamentary constituency would have nearly 28,949 voters, while the proposed seat of Oya in Mukah could contain only about 10,830 voters.
Such differences could significantly affect the equality of voting power among citizens.
The statement also noted that several large constituencies with high voter numbers, including Bandar Kuching, might not receive additional seats, while neighbouring areas could gain multiple new constituencies.
Civil society groups said these discrepancies raise questions about whether the boundaries are being drawn primarily for electoral advantage rather than fair representation.
Allocation by ethnicity and party
The leaked presentation also appeared to categorise proposed seats according to ethnic majorities and the GPS component party expected to contest them.
According to the statement, the seats would include constituencies with Malay, Melanau and Kedayan majorities, alongside Chinese, Iban, Bidayuh and Orang Ulu majority areas.
The plan reportedly allocates seven seats to the Bumiputera wing of PBB, three to the Pesaka wing of PBB, three to the Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP), three to Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and one to the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP).
Civil society groups argued that such detailed political allocation in advance raises concerns about whether the redelineation process could be influenced by partisan considerations.
Questions over possible political coordination
The statement also cited a social media post from 21 September 2024 that appeared to show officers from the Sarawak EC office meeting political representatives and reviewing constituency maps.
The post, shared by a former Kapit Division administrative official, included images of documents resembling constituency maps similar to those described in the leaked slide deck.
In the post, the individual thanked EC officers for helping “realise the business of creating new constituencies in the Kapit Division”.
Civil society organisations said such interactions, if confirmed, could raise doubts about the neutrality of the redelineation process.
Calls for transparency and constitutional compliance
The organisations urged the EC to clarify whether commissioners had seen the alleged slide presentation and whether any meetings with political representatives regarding the maps had been authorised.
They also called for assurances that the upcoming delineation exercise would be conducted independently and without adopting proposals that could favour specific political parties.
Under Malaysia’s Federal Constitution, constituencies within the same state must contain “approximately equal” numbers of voters.
Civil society groups stressed that deviations from equal voter numbers should be limited and justified mainly for geographically large or remote areas where administrative challenges exist.
They recommended that new seats be prioritised in oversized constituencies with particularly large electorates in order to reduce disparities in voter representation.
Public participation encouraged
The organisations also encouraged Sarawak voters to monitor the redelineation process and participate in efforts to safeguard fair representation.
They emphasised the importance of public awareness and civic engagement in ensuring that electoral boundaries reflect equal voting power across constituencies.
Training and resources are being offered by several civil society groups to help citizens understand the redelineation process and propose alternative boundary models that adhere to constitutional principles.
The groups stressed that maintaining public trust in the electoral system will depend on whether the upcoming delineation exercise is perceived as fair, transparent and independent.
