Sarawak Budget 2027 tabled, assembly may be dissolved in November

Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), the coalition that governs Sarawak, tabled a RM14.845 billion Sarawak Budget 2027 in the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) on Monday, 12 October 2026. It was presented by the Premier and GPS chairman, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, at the 12 to 21 October sitting, which the Speaker said is the last of the current term.

PBB information chief Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the assembly could be dissolved in November or within two weeks of the budget being passed, though the timing is up to the Premier. GPS holds 79 of the 82 state seats and 23 Dewan Rakyat seats, making it the third largest bloc in the unity government, according to ISEAS Fulcrum.

What GPS has been doing in October

12 October. Abang Johari tabled the Sarawak Budget 2027 with projected state revenue of RM15.091 billion, the state's highest ever, and a surplus of RM246 million, The Star reported. Development gets RM10.098 billion, and RM300 million goes to the Sarawak Sovereign Wealth Future Fund. He said the higher revenue was partly due to the federal special grant being raised from RM600 million to RM1.5 billion.

7 October. Abdul Karim, who is also Sarawak's Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister, told reporters the dissolution "could be this November, or within two weeks after the Budget is passed," the Borneo Post reported. He said the Election Commission (EC) must be given enough time to set nomination and polling dates, and polling must be held within 60 days of dissolution.

3 October. Speaking in Mukah, Abang Johari described his plan to step down after 2030 as a natural process driven by age and health, and stressed the need to train successors, The Vibes reported. He first raised it in Miri on 13 September. That night he chaired a meeting with GPS MPs and senators in Kuala Lumpur to align the coalition's position on Sarawak's development and rights at the federal level, TVS reported.

1 October. The Federal Court fixed a five-day hearing, from 25 to 29 January 2027, for petitions by Petronas and the Sarawak government over oil and gas laws, Bernama reported. Sarawak wants the Petroleum Development Act 1974, the Continental Shelf Act 1966 and the Petroleum Mining Act 1966 declared void as applied to the state. Petronas is challenging the Sarawak assembly's power to pass laws on Federal List matters.

30 September. Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan confirmed that GPS had lodged objections to the EC's proposed redelineation, which would add 17 state seats and take the total from 82 to 99, The Star reported. He did not say how many objections GPS filed and asked the EC to study all representations transparently. On 2 September, the groups ROSE and Tindak Malaysia said the proposal still had problems, including unequal numbers of voters between seats and oversized urban constituencies.

Who leads GPS?

GPS is led by its chairman, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, who has headed the coalition since it was formed in June 2018. He is also president of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) and has been Sarawak's head of government since 2017, when he succeeded the late Pehin Sri Adenan Satem.

GPS has four member parties:

• PBB, the largest, led by Abang Johari. Its deputy presidents are Deputy Premiers Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan and Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas. Abang Johari was returned unopposed as president at PBB's triennial delegates' conference in February 2025.
• Sarawak United Peoples' Party (SUPP), led by Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian.
• Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), led by Datuk Seri John Sikie Tayai, who was elected in October 2025 for the 2025 to 2028 term.
• Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), led by Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.

The GPS secretary-general is Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi. In August he said he would not defend the Kapit parliamentary seat at the next general election and wants to contest Melekun, a proposed new state seat, if it is approved and gazetted.

Within GPS, SUPP and PDP both want the Bawang Assan and Engkilili seats, now held by PDP assemblymen. In July, Dr Sim named a SUPP candidate for Bawang Assan, and the seat's assemblyman, PDP's Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh, called the move immature and accused him of overstepping his authority, FMT reported. In May, Abang Johari urged the component parties to settle their differences internally.

How many seats does GPS hold?

GPS holds 23 seats in the Dewan Rakyat as at October 2026, according to ISEAS Fulcrum, which is 23 of Sarawak's 31 parliamentary seats. That is the same as its result in GE15 in November 2022, when GPS contested all 31 seats: PBB won 14, PRS 5, SUPP 2 and PDP 2, according to ISEAS.

In the state, GPS holds 79 of the 82 seats in the Sarawak assembly: PBB 47, SUPP 13, PRS 11 and PDP 8, with the support of one independent, FMT reported. DAP holds two seats and sits in opposition. GPS won 76 seats in the December 2021 state election. The number rose after Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) was dissolved in 2024 and its members joined PDP.

GPS governs Sarawak only and does not sit in any other state government.

GPS in government

GPS was formed on 12 June 2018, when PBB, SUPP, PRS and PDP left Barisan Nasional after GE14, theSun reported. After GE15, GPS backed the formation of the unity government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, alongside Pakatan Harapan, including PKR and DAP, the UMNO-led Barisan Nasional, and Sabah's GRS.

GPS ministers in the Cabinet, based on the December 2025 reshuffle list:

• Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof (PBB), Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister. He returned to the Cabinet meeting on 9 September after heart bypass surgery.
• Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi (PBB), Works Minister.
• Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri (PBB), Women, Family and Community Development Minister.
• Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing (PDP), Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister.
• Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang (PRS), National Unity Minister.

At the GPS convention in April, Abang Johari said GPS had good cooperation with the national parties in the unity government, but parties from outside Sarawak should not interfere in the state's politics, FMT reported. Analyst Datuk Dr Jayum Jawan told theSun on 13 October that Sarawak DAP and PKR face a dilemma ahead of the state election because of their federal ties with GPS.

MA63 and Sarawak's rights

At the Malaysia Day celebration in Kuching on 16 September, Anwar announced that Sarawak's interim special grant would rise from RM600 million to RM1.5 billion from this year, while a long-term formula under Article 112D of the Federal Constitution is negotiated, Malaysiakini reported.

On 10 October, Abang Johari thanked the federal government for the RM16.2 billion allocated to Sarawak in Budget 2027, up from RM15.1 billion last year. He said 13 of the 29 matters in the official Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) negotiations had been fully resolved as of September, and five more had partial or interim solutions, the Borneo Post reported. Sarawak also took over Bintulu Port this year at a cost of RM1.8 billion.

GPS at a glance

What's next

• 12 to 21 October 2026: Sarawak assembly sitting and debate on the 2027 budget. The assembly must also elect a senator, as Michael Mujah Lihan's term ends on 10 December 2026, Bernama reported.
• November 2026, not confirmed: The assembly could be dissolved, Abdul Karim said. The EC sets nomination and polling dates after dissolution. GPS will contest every seat, Abang Johari said in April.
• February 2027: The assembly dissolves automatically if not dissolved earlier, and the state election must be held by 15 April 2027, The Star reported.
• Redelineation: With the objection period closed on 30 September, the EC must hold local inquiries, revise its proposal and display it again for a month before sending a final report to the Prime Minister, EC member Dr Mohd Faisal Syam Abdol Hazis said. Abang Johari said the election can go ahead with the current 82 seats if the process is not finished in time.
• 12 January 2027: Case management for the Petronas and Sarawak petitions, followed by the Federal Court hearing from 25 to 29 January 2027.
• GE16: Parliament first sat on 19 December 2022, so it dissolves automatically on 19 December 2027 if not dissolved earlier, and polls must be held within 60 days after that.

Read more

• One story from every party, Melaka polls take centre stage
• GRS targets more than 15 Sabah parliamentary seats in GE16
• Shafie and Leiking returned unopposed as Warisan's top two
• Budget 2027, what changes for your wallet

Sources

• The Star, Sarawak tables RM246mil surplus budget for 2027, projects RM15.09bil in revenue
• Bernama, Empat RUU, Belanjawan 2027 Jadi Tumpuan Persidangan Terakhir DUN Sarawak
• Kosmo, DUN Sarawak dijangka bubar November
• Borneo Post, Sarawak DUN could be dissolved this November, says Abd Karim
• Bernama, Abdul Karim Appointed PBB Information Chief
• ISEAS Fulcrum, Why Sarawak's Abang Johari Cannot Afford to Slip Up
• The Vibes, Sarawak Premier says stepping down after 2030 is natural process driven by age, health
• TVS, GPS perkukuh suara Sarawak di Parlimen
• NST (Bernama), Federal Court sets five-day hearing for Petronas, Sarawak oil and gas petitions beginning Jan 25
• The Star, GPS submits objections to EC over proposed S'wak redelineation
• The Star, Civil groups raise concerns over Sarawak redelineation plan
• Borneo Post (Bernama), 17 new Sarawak seats may not be ready for next state poll, says EC member
• The Star, Sarawak state polls can proceed with current 82 seats, says Abang Jo
• FMT, GPS to contest all seats at Sarawak polls, says Abang Jo
• FMT, 'Friendly' fights in GPS on the cards in Sarawak polls?
• DayakDaily, 'Sedangkan lidah lagi tergigit': Premier invokes P. Ramlee idiom in call for GPS unity
• The Vibes, New PBB leaders must maintain party's strength and unity, says Abang Jo
• Bernama, John Sikie New President Of Parti Rakyat Sarawak
• The Vibes, Nanta Linggi to leave Parliament after five terms, may contest new Sarawak state seat
• The Vibes, Fadillah returns to Cabinet after heart bypass surgery
• Borneo Post (Malay Mail), Malaysia Cabinet reshuffle: Full list of all 28 ministers and deputies
• theSun, Sarawak DAP and PKR face election dilemma over ties with GPS
• Malaysiakini, PM announces RM1.5b for Sarawak, BudiDiesel perks, RM500 flight aid for students
• Borneo Post, Abang Johari thanks federal govt for RM16.2 bln Sarawak allocation
• ISEAS Perspective, Impact of GE 15 in Sarawak: Preliminary Observations and a Look Ahead
• The Star, GPS empowered with win