Nanta confirms he will remain Kapit MP, not contest Sarawak polls

The Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) secretary-general said speculation about him contesting at state level arose after a proposal to create a new constituency, DUN Melekun, under the Kapit parliamentary constituency. — Bernama pic

First Published: Wednesday, 11 Nov 2026 7:43 PM MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 11 — Kapit Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi has confirmed that he will continue serving at parliamentary level and will not contest a State Legislative Assembly (DUN) seat in next month’s Sarawak election.

The Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) secretary-general said speculation about him contesting at state level arose after a proposal to create a new constituency, DUN Melekun, under the Kapit parliamentary constituency.

However, the works minister said the new constituency could not be used in this election because the boundary changes had not been gazetted.

“Although the Sarawak DUN has approved the addition of seats, the matter has yet to be brought to the Dewan Rakyat for approval.

“So it will not be used in this election, which means I have no state seat to contest,” he told reporters after attending a recording of a Bernama TV programme at Wisma Bernama here today.

On July 7, 2025, the Sarawak DUN passed the State Legislative Assembly (Composition of Membership) Bill 2025, approving 17 additional seats and bringing the total number of state seats to 99.

The number of Sarawak state seats has increased over the years, from 48 in 1969 to 56 in 1985, 62 in 1995, 71 in 2005 and 82 in 2014.

Nanta, who has served six terms as Kapit MP, said not having the opportunity to contest at state level was not an issue, as his priority was to continue serving the people through his existing parliamentary mandate.

He had previously said he did not intend to defend the Kapit parliamentary seat in the next general election to make way for a leadership transition, while also leaving open the possibility of serving at state level if DUN Melekun were created.

Asked about reports that GPS would field 10 per cent new faces in the election, Nanta declined to comment further, saying the decision rested with the party’s top leadership.

The Election Commission has set December 12 as polling day for the Sarawak election, with nominations on November 28 and early voting on December 8. — Bernama