1996 Sarawak state election

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 814,347 registered voters with 64.18% voters turned up to cast their votes.^[1]

1996 Sarawak state election

← 1991 7–8 September 1996 2001 →
← outgoing members elected members →
All 62 seats in the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly 32 seats needed for a majority
Registered	814,347
Turnout	372,594 (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 1 3 Popular vote 242,839 32,421 Percentage 67.7% 9.0% Swing 4.9% 0.6%
Chief Minister before election Abdul Taib Mahmud BN Subsequent chief minister Abdul Taib Mahmud BN

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

Summary

Party or alliance				Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Barisan Nasional		Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu	241,666	66.50	29	+2
			Sarawak United Peoples' Party			13	–3
			Sarawak National Party			7	+1
			Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak			8	+1
		Total				57	+1
	Democratic Action Party			32,421	8.92	3	+3
	Independents			89,294	24.57	2	+2
Total				363,381	100.00	62	+6
Valid votes				363,381	98.41
Invalid/blank votes				5,876	1.59
Total votes				369,257	100.00
Registered voters/turnout				814,347	45.34
Source: [2]

Results by constituency

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.^[3][4]

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:^[5]

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

Notes

1. Won uncontested