The next Sarawak general election, formally the 13th Sarawak general election, will elect the 20th Sarawak State Legislative Assembly. It must be held on or before February 2027 at the latest, pursuant to clause 21(4) of the Constitution of Sarawak. This date is dependent on when the 19th Legislative Assembly first sat, which was on 14 February 2022. A total of 99 seats will be up for election, provided that the Election Commission completes the redelineation exercise and parliament passes the motion before the assembly is dissolved. Otherwise, the election will maintain the current 82-seat configuration. The current assembly may dissolve in the coming months, paving the way for an early election.
Background Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the state election originally scheduled for 2021 was postponed following the implementation of the emergency proclamation. After the emergency was lifted, the state assembly was dissolved on 3 November 2021, with polling day being held on 18 December 2021. In the election, Gabungan Parti Sarawak won 76 out of 82 state assembly seats and formed the state government for the new term under the leadership of Abang Johari.
The new term of the state assembly began when members of the assembly were sworn in at the first sitting of the 19th Sarawak state assembly on 14 February 2022. The date marked the beginning of the five-year term of the state assembly as provided for in the state constitution. During this term, the state government continued to implement the Post-COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030, develop the green hydrogen sector, strengthen state-owned financial institutions and work related to the implementation and claim of Sarawak's rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963.
In the election, Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) contested in 70 of the 82 state assembly constituencies, the highest number of candidates among the opposition parties contesting. PSB won four seats, which saw it secure around 19% of the popular vote and became the largest opposition bloc in the assembly after the election. This overtook the federal-based opposition coalition that had previously had a larger representation in the assembly. PSB's position changed in August 2022 when Batu Lintang assemblyman, See Chee How, left the party and chose to run as an independent. The change reduced the number of PSB representatives in the Sarawak State Assembly to three seats. In 2024, PSB was officially dissolved after its dissolution application was approved by the Registrar of Societies in March 2024. In April of the same year, most of the former PSB leaders and members joined the Progressive Democratic Party, one of the component parties of Gabungan Parti Sarawak. This development led to a change in the political composition of the Sarawak State Assembly when several representatives who previously represented PSB joined the government bloc. After the changes, the opposition bloc in the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly consists mainly of the Democratic Action Party as well as several independent representatives.
Entering the mid-term, the state government approved a proposal to increase the number of state assembly seats from 82 to 99 as part of the constituency redelineation process. The proposal aims to take into account the changing population distribution and size of constituencies in several parts of Sarawak. However, the implementation of the new delineation is dependent on the completion of the process by the election commission, including public exhibition, preparation of the final report and approval by parliament. If the process is not completed before the dissolution of the assembly, the next state election is likely to be held using the existing configuration involving 82 seats.
As the last year of the legislative term approaches, political parties have begun to intensify their preparations for the election by organising conventions, political tours and organising grassroots machinery. During the same period, the implementation of automatic voter registration and the lowering of the voting age to 18 years (UNDI18) has increased the number of new voters in the state electoral roll. This has prompted political parties including Gabungan Parti Sarawak components such as Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu, Parti Rakyat Sarawak, Sarawak United People's Party and Progressive Democratic Party as well as opposition parties such as Democratic Action Party, Parti Keadilan Rakyat and several local parties to adjust their campaign approach by emphasising issues such as employment opportunities, higher education and economic development.
According to the state constitution, the maximum term of a state assembly is five years from the date of its first sitting. Therefore, the 19th Sarawak state legislative assembly will automatically dissolve on 14 February 2027 unless dissolved earlier by the governor on the advice of the premier. By mid-2026, several statements by government leaders and political developments had sparked speculation that the dissolution of the state legislature might occur before the end of its term. However, until then, no official announcement on the date of dissolution had been made and the determination of the date remained subject to constitutional prerogatives on the advice of the Premier of Sarawak.
Electoral system Elections in Malaysia are held at both the federal and state levels. The federal elections elect members of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house of parliament), while the state elections for each of the 13 states elect members of their respective state legislative assemblies. As Malaysia follows the Westminster system of government, the head of government (the Prime Minister at the federal level and the Menteri Besar/Chief Minister/Premier at the state level) is the individual who commands the confidence of the majority of the members of the legislative assembly, who is usually the leader of the party or coalition with the majority of seats.
The Sarawak state legislature is currently represented by Members of the State Legislative Assembly who are elected for a five-year term. Under the latest composition amendment, the number of seats in the Sarawak state legislative assembly is planned to increase from 82 to 99 seats, subject to the timeline of the redelineation process by the Election Commission and the approval of Parliament. Each Member of the State Legislative Assembly is elected from a single constituency using a simple majority voting system (first-past-the-post). The party or coalition that obtains a majority of seats is entitled to form the state government. In the event of a hung parliament (no party obtains an absolute majority), the government can be formed through a new coalition or a confidence and supply agreement.
The voting age in Malaysia is 18 years. Through the full implementation of the Constitution (Amendment) Act 2019 which began on 15 December 2021, the automatic voter registration (AVR) system has been fully implemented. All citizens who have reached the age of 18 are registered as voters without having to apply manually. Elections are fully managed by the Election Commission of Malaysia. Malaysia does not practice a compulsory voting system.
Constituencies
Composition before dissolution GPSPHIND792147121182PBBSUPPPRSPDPDAPIND
Timeline The key dates are listed below: +DateEventDissolution of Sarawak State Legislative Assembly.Issue the Writ of Election.Nomination Day.Campaigning Period.Early Polling Days for Postal, Overseas and Advance Voters.Polling Day.
Campaign slogans
+PartySloganGabungan Parti Sarawak Utamakan Sarawak, Sarawak Maju Makmur.Pakatan Harapan Jom UBAH Sarawak!WAWASAN Sarawak Sarawak Maju, Bersih, Sejahtera, dan Harmoni.PAS Sarawak Sarawak Aman, Makmur, dan Berwibawa.PEJUANG Sarawak –PBDS - ASPIRASI Alliance –Parti Bumi Kenyalang Justice for All. Independence for Sarawak.Parti Wawasan Rakyat –Parti Aspirasi Nasional Aspirasi Untuk Semua.Sarawak People's Energy Party –
Preparations Political parties In 2023, Zohari Openg, the Sarawak Premier and chairman of the governing coalition GPS, annound that the coalition will contest all 82 seats in the next election, then the total seats in Sarawak Assembly.
Meanwhile, Democratic Action Party (DAP), has targeted up to 18 seats to contest in the next state election. DAP has been the sole opposition party in Sarawak Assembly, after Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB), the other opposition party, were dissolved and merged with Progressive Democratic Party, a component party of GPS in 2024.
PAS Sarawak has announced plans to contest at least eight state seats within the parliamentary constituencies of Betong, Batang Lupar, Bintulu, Sibuti, and Miri..
Additionally, local Sarawak-based parties, such as Wawasan, have expressed their intention to participate in the upcoming election..
Departing incumbents The following members of the 19th Sarawak State Legislative Assembly did not seek re-election. No.State ConstituencyDeparting MLACoalition (Party)Date confirmedFirst electedReason N15 Asajaya Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah 2 August 2026 2001 Not seeking re-election Incumbents contested in different party
Incumbents contested in different constituency
Incumbents lost re-election in the 2026 election
Candidates Candidate announcements are expected closer to nomination day.