Terengganu mulls increasing number of state seats

Terengganu is planning to increase the number of state seats, according to its state assembly Speaker Yahaya Ali.

Yahaya said the proposal was made in line with the increase in the state’s population and also aimed at ensuring that every state assemblyperson would be able to serve the constituents more effectively.

“Prior to this, every parliamentary constituency had approximately 50,000 constituents, but now the same number of constituents could easily make up one state constituency.

"That’s why we are trying to have additional seats and we will probably emulate the approach taken by Sabah, which had increased the number of the state seats to 73 from 60,” he told a press conference at Wisma Darul Iman today.

Yahaya explained that the state government would study the suitable number of seats to be increased before the proposal is taken to the State Executive Council’s meeting and eventually tabled in Parliament.

“Right now, we have 32 state seats and we will study how many more we need. However, the proposal needs cooperation from the Election Commission... we also need to gather public opinion before making any move,” he added.

- Bernama