Sarawak State Legislative Assembly

Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Malay: Dewan Undangan Negeri Sarawak
17th Sarawak State Legislative Assembly
Type
Type	Unicameral
History
Founded	8 September 1867
Leadership
Yang di-Pertuan Negeri	Abdul Taib Mahmud, BN–PBB Since 1 March 2014
Speaker	Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar, BN–PBB Since 15 November 2000
Deputy Speaker	Roland Sagah Wee Inn, BN–PBB Since 30 September 2011
Chief Minister	Adenan Satem, BN–PBB Since 1 March 2014
Opposition Leader	Chong Chieng Jen, DAP Since 10 June 2013
Structure
Seats	71 Quorum: 24 Simple majority: 36 Two-thirds majority: 47
Political groups	(As of 17 June 2015) Government      BN (45) Ministers: 7 Assistant ministers: 15 Backbenchers: 23      PBB (35)      PRS (8)      SUPP (2)      TERAS (10) Ministers: 2 Assistant ministers: 4 Backbenchers: 4 Opposition      DAP (11)      PKR (3)      SWP (1)      Vacant (1)
Committees	6 Rules of Proceedings and Elections Committee Public Accounts Committee Assembly Committee Public Petitions Committee Privileges Committee DUN Events Committee
Elections
Voting system	First-past-the-post (71 seats)
Last election	16 April 2011
Next election	on or before 20 September 2016
Meeting place
New Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Building, Petra Jaya, Kuching, Sarawak
Website
www.dun.sarawak.gov.my

The Sarawak State Legislative Assembly is the state legislature of the Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is a unicameral institution consisting of 71 members elected from single-member constituencies throughout the state. Elections are held no more than five years apart, separate from general elections unlike other states in Malaysia.

The State Legislative Assembly convenes at the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Building in the state capital, Kuching.

Current composition

History

The first legislative assembly in Sarawak was formed during the rule of the White Rajahs. The General Council (Majlis Umum) of the Kingdom of Sarawak was convened on 8 September 1867 by Charles Brooke, the Rajah Muda under the orders of James Brooke, then the Rajah of Sarawak. Its members were chosen from local tribe leaders who were thought to be capable of assisting Brooke in administering the kingdom. The General Council later evolved into the Council Negri. The Council Negri first met in Bintulu.^[1]

It continued to function even after Sarawak was ceded to the British Empire in 1946. Since 1963, when Sarawak joined with Malaya, Singapore and North Borneo (now known as Sabah) to formed the Federation of Malaysia, in line with the federal and state constitutions, members of the Assembly have been elected representatives.^[2]

The Assembly originally had 48 seats. That expanded to 56 in 1985, to 62 in 1985 and to 71 in 2005. In 2014 the Assembly passed a Bill to take the number of constituencies to 82. It has a greater number of seats than any other state assembly in Malaysia.^[3]

Role

The State Assembly enacts laws that apply in the state of Sarawak in matters specified in the Joint and State Lists in the federal Constitution. Legislation successfully passed in the Assembly are known as ordinances.^[4] The Assembly must sit at least once a year to approve taxation to and supply from the state's consolidated fund. This is done during the tabling of the budget by the executive Cabinet.^[5] Aside from administrative matters, members of the Assembly are free to speak on any issues, as stipulated in the Privileges, Immunities and Powers Ordinance 1963. Members of the Assembly are responsible for checking and criticising the executive government's actions.^[6]

The Speaker presides over proceedings in the Assembly. He is appointed by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri (Governor) on the advice of the Chief Minister. The Speaker can only vote to break a tie.^[7]

Speakers Roll of Honour

The following is the Speaker of the Sarawak State Assembly Roll of Honour, since 1963:

1. Datuk Dr.Sockalingam (1963–1968)
2. Tan Sri Datuk William Tan (1968–1973)
3. Datuk Haji Shahbuddin Y.K. Cheng (1973–1976)
4. Datuk Abang Haji Abu Bakar Bin Datu Abang Haji Mustapha (1976–1981)
5. Datuk Celestine Ujang Jilan (1981–1987)
6. Datuk Robert Jacob Ridu (1987–1994)
7. Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh (1994–1996)
8. Datuk Song Swee Guan (1996–2000)
9. Datuk Amar Haji Mohammad Asfia Bin Awang Nassar (2000–present)

Cabinet

The Cabinet of Sarawak forms the executive branch of the state's government. It is led by the Chief Minister of Sarawak. The Chief Minister is appointed by the Governor on the basis that he is able to command a majority in the Assembly. He then advises the Governor on the appointment of state ministers. The Chief Minister and his ministers constitute the state cabinet, and share collective responsibility to the Assembly.^[8]

After the 2011 state election, the opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition formed a shadow cabinet. The Speaker recognised the right of the opposition to form such a body, but nonetheless noted it had no constitutional status, unlike the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet of the United Kingdom.^[9]

The current State Cabinet was sworn in on 18 April 2011 after the state elections.^[10] On 28 September 2001, the State Cabinet underwent a reshuffle, as a new ministry and seven new member were introduced.^[11]

Upon the appointment of Tan Sri Adenan Satem as the fifth Chief Minister of Sarawak, the State Cabinet,formed in 2011 remained unchanged, with the exception of the position of Second Deputy Chief Minister,which still vacant.The position of the Minister with Special Functions also remains vacant, and he had announced that he will appoint a minister to fill the positions at the right time.^[12]

Full members

Assistant ministers

Ex officio members

Committees

The State Assembly also consists of committees that handle administrative matters. The committees include:^[14]

• Rules of Proceedings and Elections Committee
• Public Accounts Committee
• Assembly Committee
• Public Petitions Committee
• Privileges Committee
• DUN Events Committee

Sarawak state election, 2011

 Summary of the 16 April 2011 Sarawak State Assembly election results

Political Party		Votes	% of vote	Seats	% of seats	+/–
National Front:	BN	372,379	55.36	55	77.46	8[nb 1]
United Traditional Bumiputera Party	PBB	192,785	28.66	35	49.30
Sarawak United Peoples' Party	SUPP	111,781	16.62	6	8.45	6
Sarawak People's Party	PRS	35,120	5.22	8	11.27
Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party	SPDP	32,693	4.86	6	8.45	2
People's Pact:	PR	277,329	41.23	15	21.13	8[nb 2]
Democratic Action Party	DAP	134,847	20.05	12	16.90	6
People's Justice Party	PKR	117,100	17.41	3	4.23	2
Sarawak National Party	SNAP	15,663	2.33	0	0.00
Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party	PAS	9,719	1.44	0	0.00
Love Malaysia Party	PCM	2,895	0.43	0	0.00	1
Independents	IND	20,064	2.98	1	1.41	1
Overall total		672,667	100.00	71	100.00
Source: Election Commission.[15] The Star (Malaysia).[16] ↑ BN had an assemblyman (Larry Sng) who did not belong to any party. Sng did not contest the election and his seat (Pelagus) was won by an independent, counting as one additional loss for BN. ↑ Coalition formed after previous election.

Sarawak state election, 2006

 Summary of the 20 May 2006 Sarawak State Assembly election results

Political Party		Votes	% of vote	Seats	% of seats	+/–
National Front:	BN	341,587	61.8	62[nb 1]	88.7	2
United Traditional Bumiputera Party	PBB	160,331	29.0	35	49.3	5
Sarawak United Peoples' Party	SUPP	113,505	20.5	11	15.5	5
Sarawak People's Party	PRS	33,014	6.0	8	12.7	N/A[nb 2]
Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party	SPDP	34,737	6.3	8	11.3	N/A[nb 2]
Democratic Action Party	DAP	82,134	14.9	6	8.5	5
Barisan Bersatu Sarawak:		98,807	17.9	2	2.8	N/A[nb 2]
Sarawak National Party	SNAP[nb 3]	51,459	9.3	1	1.4	5
People's Justice Party	PKR	47,348	8.6	1	1.4	1
Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party	PAS	1,901	0.3	0	0.0
Independents	IND	18,535	3.4	1	1.4
Overall total		552,350	100	71	100	10
Source: Election Commission.[17] ↑ Including two seats won uncontested. 1 2 3 Party or coalition established after previous state election. ↑ Part of Barisan Nasional in previous election.

References

External links

• Sarawak State Legislative Assembly official website

Legislatures of Malaysia Parliament of Malaysia (list) Houses Dewan Negara Dewan Rakyat Members of the Dewan Negara 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th Women Members of the Dewan Rakyat 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th Women State Legislative Assemblies State Johor Kedah Kelantan Malacca Negeri Sembilan Pahang Perak Perlis Penang Sabah Sarawak Selangor Terengganu State Assembly Representatives 1959–64 1964–69 1969–74 1974–78 1978–82 1982–86 1986–90 1990–95 1995–99 1999–2004 2004–08 2008–13 2013– See also: Members of the Federal Legislative Council (1955–59) List of Malayan State and Settlement Council Representatives (1954–59)

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