KUCHING – The growing responsibilities of the Sarawak Cabinet have made it necessary to expand its membership, according to Kota Sentosa Assemblyman Wilfred Yap Yau Sin.
Speaking during the debate on the Constitution of the State of Sarawak (Amendment) Bill 2025 at the 19th Sarawak Legislative Assembly sitting, Yap said the proposal to add up to four new members to the Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan Negeri (MMKN) is both timely and essential.
He argued that the expansion would strengthen Sarawak’s institutional capacity to deliver policies effectively, respond to the needs of the people, and pursue the long-term vision set by the Premier for a progressive and globally connected state.
“It ensures that Sarawak has the institutional strength to deliver policies effectively, respond efficiently to the needs of our rakyat, and pursue the long-term vision set by the Sarawak Premier,” he said.
Yap explained that Sarawak’s administrative complexity stems not only from its population size but also from its vast geographical coverage, the dispersion of rural communities, and the scale of development programmes across both urban and interior regions.
“The responsibilities of the government have expanded as our development agenda has grown. They cannot be adequately managed by relying on a Cabinet structure designed for a different era,” he noted.
He dismissed suggestions that the Cabinet should be limited to ten ministers, saying such a figure does not reflect the operational burden currently carried by ministries.
“In essence, the minister is the primary decision-maker and policy leader, while the deputy minister is the essential support that helps ensure smooth execution and continuity,” he added.
The Assemblyman highlighted that several ministers are currently tasked with overseeing two or three major portfolios simultaneously, each requiring multi-agency coordination, regulatory oversight, policy development, large-scale budgeting, and stakeholder engagement.
“Such arrangements are no longer practical if Sarawak is to meet its development targets, maintain momentum in renewable energy and hydrogen initiatives, expand the digital and creative economies, and ensure effective delivery of rural development programmes,” Yap stressed.
The amendment, if passed, will allow Sarawak to restructure its Cabinet to better reflect the demands of modern governance, ensuring that ministries are adequately resourced to manage the state’s ambitious development agenda.
