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MIRI – Sarawak is expected to have at least 600,000 new voters, said Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg after receiving the latest data from the Election Commission (EC).
Speaking at a Hari Raya Aidilfitri dinner in Kuching yesterday, he said the first-time voters are between the ages of 18 and 21, and qualify for automatic voter registration.
“So, in Sarawak we will have a big number of new voters. They will be able to vote in the coming general election.”
Johari, who is chairman of ruling state coalition Gabungan Parti Sarawak, urged component parties to start wooing the new voters.
Recently, Parti Sarawak Bersatu general election coordinator for northern Sarawak Datuk Lawrence Lai said the federal government needs to fast-track the proposal to create more parliamentary constituencies in Sarawak (and Sabah) to reflect their status as equal partners in the federation.
He added that the proposal for Sarawak to have more parliamentary seats is justifiable as the latest electoral statistics for the state shows a big surge in the number of new voters.
For example, he said, Miri has an estimated increase of up to 70% of new voters this year compared to the last parliamentary election in 2018.
“In 2018, Miri had more than 83,000 voters but under Undi18 and the automatic voter registration, it will have about 140,000 eligible voters.”
Of the total 222 seats in Dewan Rakyat, Sarawak currently has 31 parliamentary constituencies. – The Vibes, May 17, 2022