1996 Sarawak state election

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1996 Sarawak state election
← 1991 7–8 September 1996 2001 →
All 62 seats in the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly
32 seats needed for a majority
Registered580,543
Turnout372,602 (64.18%)
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Abdul Taib Mahmud Wong Sing Nang
Party BN DAP
Leader since 26 March 1981 (1981-03-26) Unknown
Leader's seat Asajaya Pelawan
Last election 49 seats, 62.8% 0 seat, 9.7%
Seats before 56 0
Seats won 57 3
Seat change Increase1 Increase3
Popular vote 242,839 32,421
Percentage 67.7% 9.0%
Swing Increase4.9% Decrease0.6%
Chief Minister before election

Abdul Taib Mahmud
BN

Subsequent chief minister

Abdul Taib Mahmud
BN

The seventh Sarawak state election was held between Saturday, 7 September and Sunday, 8 September 1996 with nomination date on Tuesday, 27 August 1996. The Sarawak State Assembly was dissolved on 15 August 1996 before its expiration on 28 November 1996. There were 62 seats available but only 43 were contested on the election day. This election saw 580,543 registered voters of contested constituencies with 64.18% voters turned up to cast their votes.[1]

Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) which was consisting of Sarawak United Peoples' Party (SUPP), Sarawak National Party (SNAP), Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), and Sarawak Dayak People's Party (PBDS) fielded candidates for all 62 seats, followed by Democratic Action Party (DAP) fielding 6 candidates, while there were 60 independents jostling for 38 state seats in Sarawak. A total of 128 candidates was successfully nominated on the nomination day. PBDS which was an opposition party back in 1991 election, was re-accepted into Sarawak BN in 1994.[1]

Results

[edit]

Summary

[edit]
Party or allianceVotes%Seats+/–
Barisan NasionalParti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu93,79525.7329+2
Sarawak United Peoples' Party109,78530.1113–3
Sarawak National Party17,2854.747+1
Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak21,9746.038+1
Total242,83966.6157+1
Democratic Action Party32,4218.893+3
Independents89,29424.492+2
Total364,554100.0062+6
Valid votes364,55497.84
Invalid/blank votes8,0482.16
Total votes372,602100.00
Registered voters/turnout580,54364.18
Source: [2] [3]

The above registered voter count represents total electorate of contested constituencies. Total electorate for Sarawak 1996 is 814347 where this includes 19 uncontested seats.[4]

Results by constituency

[edit]

There were 19 seats won uncontested by Sarawak BN on the nomination day. On the polling day, Sarawak BN won 38 out of 43 seats contested, thus made up to a total of 57 seats. DAP had made the first breakthrough by winning 3 seats as compared to previous state elections where the party returned empty handed. The remaining two seats were won by independents.[1] Wong Soon Kai, the then deputy chief minister of Sarawak was defeated by Wong Ho Leng from DAP in the state constituency of Bukit Assek.[5][6]

A total of 5 election petitions was filed to the Sarawak high court after the election:

Petition for N08 Padungan was filed by an independent candidate
Petition for N22 Bukit Begunan was filed by an independent candidate
Petition for N45 Balingian was filed by an independent candidate
Petition for N52 Kemena was filed by DAP
Petition for N53 Kidurong was filed by BN

The list of elected representatives is listed below:[7][8]

No. State Constituency Elected state assembly members Elected party
BN 57 | DAP 3 | IND 2
N01 Tanjung Datu Datuk Ramsay Noel Jitam BN (SUPP)
N02 Tasik Biru Peter Nansian Anak Ngusie BN (SNAP)
N03 Pantai Damai Datin Paduka Sharifah Mordiah Tuanku Fauzi [a] BN (PBB)
N04 Demak Laut Dr Abang Draup Zamahari Pengirang Zen BN (PBB)
N05 Tupong Daud Abdul Rahman BN (PBB)
N06 Satok Datuk Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari bin Tun Abang Haji Openg BN (PBB)
N07 Samariang Dona Babel BN (PBB)
N08 Padungan Datuk Song Swee Guan BN (SUPP)
N09 Pending Sim Kheng Hui BN (SUPP)
N10 Batu Lintang Chan Seng Khai BN (SUPP)
N11 Batu Kawah Alfred Yap Chin Loi BN (SUPP)
N12 Asajaya Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud[a] BN (PBB)
N13 Muara Tuang Datuk Adenan Satem[a] BN (PBB)
N14 Bengoh William Tanyuh BN (SUPP)
N15 Tarat Roland Sagah Wee Inn[a] BN (PBB)
N16 Tebedu Michael Manyin Anak Jawong BN (PBB)
N17 Kedup Federick Bayoi Manggie BN (PBB)
N18 Sadong Jaya Wan Abdul Wahab Wan Sanusi BN (PBB)
N19 Simunjan Mohamad Naroden Majais BN (PBB)
N20 Sebuyau Julaihi Narawi[a] BN (PBB)
N21 Betting Maro Bolhassan Di BN (PBB)
N22 Bukit Begunan Mong Ak Dagang BN (PBDS)
N23 Simanggang Francis Harden Anak Hollis BN (SUPP)
N24 Engkilili Toh Heng San BN (SUPP)
N25 Batang Ai Dublin Unting Ingkot BN (PBDS)
N26 Saribas Dr Haji Wahbi Bin Haji Junaidi BN (PBB)
N27 Layar Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Anak Numpang[a] BN (PBB)
N28 Kalaka Abdul Wahab Aziz[a] BN (PBB)
N29 Krian Peter Nyarok Entire BN (SNAP)
N30 Belawai Haji Hamden Ahmad[a] BN (PBB)
N31 Serdeng Datuk Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar BN (PBB)
N32 Matu Daro Datuk Abdul Wahab Dolah BN (PBB)
N33 Meradong Yii Chu Lik IND
N34 Repok Datuk David Teng Lung Chi[a] BN (SUPP)
N35 Pakan Datuk William Mawan Anak Ikom BN (SNAP)
N36 Meluan Geman Anak Itam BN (SNAP)
N37 Ngemah Gabriel Adit Demong BN (PBDS)
N38 Machan Datuk Gramong Juna BN (PBB)
N39 Bukit Assek Wong Ho Leng DAP
N40 Dudong Dr Soon Choon Teck[a] BN (SUPP)
N41 Bawang Assan Datuk Wong Soon Koh BN (SUPP)
N42 Pelawan Wong Sing Nang DAP
N43 Nangka Awang Bemee Awang Ali Basah[a] BN (PBB)
N44 Dalat Datuk Effendi Norwawi BN (PBB)
N45 Balingian Abdul Ajis Abdul Majeed BN (PBB)
N46 Tamin Joseph Entulu Belaun BN (PBDS)
N47 Kakus John Sikie Tayai[a] BN (PBDS)
N48 Pelagus Datuk Sng Chee Hua[a] BN (PBDS)
N49 Katibas Ambrose Blikau Enturan[a] BN (PBB)
N50 Baleh Datuk Dr James Jemut Masing BN (PBDS)
N51 Belaga Stanley Ajang Batok BN (SNAP)
N52 Kemena Celestine Ujang Anak Jilan[a] BN (PBB)
N53 Kidurong Wong Sing Ai DAP
N54 Jepak Talib Bin Zulpilip BN (PBB)
N55 Lambir T E Aidan Wing BN (PBB)
N56 Piasau Datuk Dr George Chan Hong Nam BN (SUPP)
N57 Senadin Lee Kim Shin BN (SUPP)
N58 Marudi Sylvester Entri Anak Muran[a] BN (SNAP)
N59 Telang Usan Kebing Wan IND
N60 Limbang Datuk Amar James Wong Kim Min[a] BN (SNAP)
N61 Lawas Datuk Awang Tengah Ali Hasan[a] BN (PBB)
N62 Ba'kelalan Dr Judson Sakai Tagal[a] BN (SNAP)

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Won uncontested

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Report on the state legislative assembly general elections for Sarawak, 1996 (Malay-English bilingual version). Election Commission of Malaysia. URL accessed on 19 November 2009
  2. ^ Hazis, Faisal S. (2012). Domination and Contestation: Muslim Bumiputera Politics in Sarawak. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. p. 297. ISBN 978-981-4311-58-8.
  3. ^ {https://github.com/TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/blob/main/1996-SARAWAK-STATE-ELECTIONS/SARAWAK_1996_DUN_RESULTS.csv}
  4. ^ TindakMalaysia. "HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/1996-SARAWAK-STATE-ELECTIONS/SARAWAK_1996_DUN_RESULTS.csv at main · TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS". GitHub. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  5. ^ Chin, James (February 1997). "Malaysia in 1996: Mahathir-Anwar Bouts, UMNO Election, and Sarawak Surprise". A Survey of Asia in 1996: Part II. 37 (2): 181–187. doi:10.2307/2645486. JSTOR 2645486. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
  6. ^ Ting, Alan (14 April 2010). "Sibu By-Election To See "Battle of the Mighty Rejang"". Bernama. Bernama. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
  7. ^ "Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum Parlimen/Dewan Undangan Negeri (in Malay)". Election Commission of Malaysia. Archived from the original on 6 September 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
  8. ^ TindakMalaysia. "HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/1996-SARAWAK-STATE-ELECTIONS/SARAWAK_1996_DUN_WINNING_CANDIDATES.csv at main · TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS". GitHub. Retrieved 31 October 2025.