Registered 1,139,647 Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu DAP 12 seats, 20.05% 3 seats, 17.41% Start date May 7, 2016 | Turnout 753,692 (66.13%) 55 seats, 55.36% 12 seats, 20.05% 55 12 Location Sarawak, Malaysia | |
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Winner Adenan Satem | ||
The eleventh Sarawak state election was held on Saturday, 7 May 2016 after nomination for candidates on Monday, 25 April 2016. The 82 members of the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly, were elected in single-member constituencies using first-past-the-post voting. More than 1.1 million who had their names entered or retained in an electoral register for a particular electoral district in Sarawak was eligible to vote at the time of the election. Malaysia does not practice compulsory voting and automatic voter registration. The voting age is 21 although the age of majority in the country is 18. The election was conducted by the Election Commission of Malaysia.
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The Sarawak State Legislative Assembly would automatically dissolve on 20 June 2016, the fifth anniversary of the first sitting, and elections must be held within ninety days (three months) of the dissolution (on or before 20 September 2016, with the date to be decided by the Election Commission), unless dissolved prior to that date by the Head of State (Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak) on the advice of the Head of Government (Chief Minister of Sarawak).
The previous state election was held at 2011. The state assemblymen is elected to 5 years term each. It is expected to be the most hotly contested election in Sarawak's poll history. At the previous election, the opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat made historic gains by doubling its State Assembly seats, while the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional retained a two-third majority.
Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem has unexpectedly announced that 18 April will possibly be the nomination day and 30 April the polling day for the 11th Sarawak state election. Adenan was addressing a pre-election seminar for PBB’s Satok branch at a seaside resort here at about 9pm yesterday when he made the announcement. “I have already met the Election Commission (EC) and decided to set 18 April as nomination day and polling day on 30 April,” he reportedly said at the seminar, speaking in Bahasa Malaysia. However, Adenan said the final decision was up to the Election Commission.
On 14 April, the Election Commission announced that the election will be held on 7 May, with 12 days of campaigning and the nomination day set on 25 April. The legislative assembly was dissolved on Monday, 11 April.
Proposed Sarawak electoral districts
A proposal by the Election Commission to increase the number of state seats from 71 to 82 was challenged in the High Court and nullified. However this was overturn by a Court of Appeal reasoning that the increase in seats would not breach voters' constitutional rights and was in accordance with the 13th Schedule of the Federal Constitution.
The composition of seats by ethnic majority consists of 21 Iban-majority seats, 20 Malay-majority seats, 16 Chinese-majority seats, 9 Melanau-majority seats, 8 Bidayuh-majority seats, 6 Orang Ulu-majority seats and 2 Kedayan-majority seats.
Campaign
The Sarawak state government was alleged to have abused their power, by banning several opposition MPs and members from entering the state during campaigning, as under Section 67 of the Immigration Act, a person cannot be denied entry into Sarawak if the visit was “for the sole purpose of engaging in legitimate political activity”. Opposition leaders like Lim Guan Eng and Azmin Ali were allowed into the state on a temporary basis to campaign during the election period but were told to leave after five days.
Barisan
Breakaway parties such as TERAS and UPP have their members contest seats under the Barisan banner as direct election candidates under a deal by Adenan Satem after their parties were prevented from joining Barisan after opposition from parties such as SUPP and SPDP. Candidates from Barisan have been seen handing out money, foodstuffs and other election goodies to potential voters. The government is also trying to tie the election to the development of the state such as upgrading roads and building the Pan-Borneo Highway.
Opposition
Due to disagreements in contesting several seats between both DAP and PKR, both parties would be facing each other and Barisan in 6 multi-cornered fights in Batu Kitang, Mulu, Murum, Simanggang, Ngemah and Mambong. The opposition has brought up the issue of minimum wage being lower in Sarawak compared to Peninsula Malaysia and that many younger Sarawakians were migrating to Peninsula Malaysia and Singapore for better job opportunities.
Results
Two seats were won by Barisan Nasional uncontested, which are Bukit Kota and Bukit Sari, due to several issues with the opposition.
Government formation
Adenan Satem formed the state cabinet after being invited by Abdul Taib Mahmud to begin a new government following 7 May 2016 state election in Sarawak. To be the Chief Minister, Adenan sworn in before the Yang di-Pertua Negeri at 10.00 p.m. Malaysia Standard Time on 7 May 2016 at The Astana, Sarawak.