Rising Voter Numbers in Tawau Spark Proposal for Second Parliamentary Seat

KOTA KINABALU, March 23 — A proposal to create a second parliamentary seat in Tawau has emerged following a significant increase in the number of registered voters in the district.Sabah Youth, Sports and Creative Economy Development Minister Datuk Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan said the growing voter population in Tawau has raised the need to review the current parliamentary structure to ensure more balanced political representation.According to him, the Tawau parliamentary constituency currently has over 80,000 registered voters, which is significantly higher than the ideal number for a single parliamentary seat.He explained that splitting the constituency into two separate parliamentary seats could help improve governance and allow elected representatives to focus more effectively on the needs of their communities.“Creating another parliamentary seat would enable better service delivery and closer engagement between representatives and the people,” he said while commenting on the growing population and voter registration in the district.At present, the Tawau parliamentary constituency consists of three state assembly seats: Apas, Balung, and Sri Tanjong. The area has seen steady population growth in recent years, contributing to the rising number of voters.Political observers believe that reviewing constituency boundaries could help ensure fairer representation for residents while also strengthening administrative efficiency in the district.However, any changes to parliamentary boundaries would require a formal review process by the Election Commission of Malaysia, followed by approval at the national level.If the proposal moves forward, it could significantly reshape Tawau’s political landscape and provide stronger representation for the district’s growing electorate in future general elections.