# 1970 Sarawak state election

The first Sarawak state election was held from Saturday, 10 May 1969 and scheduled to be completed on Saturday, 7 June 1969 which lasted for 4 weeks and was carried out in staggered basis. This was due to the lack of transportation and communication systems in the state at that time. The state election was held at the same time as the 1969 general election. The Dewan Rakyat of the Malaysian Parliament and all the state assemblies were dissolved on 20 March 1969, except for Kelantan (which dissolved later on 31 March) and Sabah (which were not up for election as it had held its state election in 1967). The nomination date was set on Saturday, 5 April 1969. However, because of the riot occurred during 13 May incident and the declaration of emergency and the promulgation of Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance No. 1 of 1969 on 15 May 1969, all the ongoing polls were suspended until 1970. During when the suspension was enforced, polling in 9 out of 48 constituencies in Sarawak had started. None of the elections in Sarawak was completed at that time.

## Background

Prior to 1969 election, a political party was suspended from contesting in general election. The political party later mounted a public campaign calling the voters to boycott the election. The Sarawak parliamentary and state election was resumed from Saturday, 6 June 1970 to Saturday, 4 July 1970. During the resumption of the election, there was a tragedy in Sarikei in the third division of Sarawak on 29 June 1970. The communist terrorists had killed three election officials on their return journey after completing polling at a station. There was also an incident where a land mine was exploded outside the polling station in the same division.
This election saw 332,373 eligible voters after the first registration in Sarawak. Of these eligible voters, 26% were the Malays, 28 were the Chinese, and 46 percent were from Dayaks. The turn up rate of voters was 80.0%, which was considered high as compared to other states in Malaysia. A total of 221 candidates were contesting for 48 state seats in Sarawak. The breakdown of number of seats were:
* 33 seats were contested by Sarawak Alliance (Perikatan Sarawak in Malay). It was made up of Parti Bumiputera Sarawak (BUMIPUTERA) and Sarawak Chinese Association (SCA)
* 40 seats by Sarawak United Peoples' Party (SUPP)
* 35 seats by Parti Pesaka Sarawak (Pesaka)
* 47 seats by Sarawak National Party (SNAP)
There were 66 independent candidates vying for the seats.

## Results
### Summary

As a result of Parti Bumiputera-SCA alliance, SCA received majority of its votes from Malay voters. Meanwhile, Dayak parties (SNAP and PESAKA) only attracted 37.6% of the vote although the Dayak people made up of 46% of the electorate.
| Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Votes | % | Seats |
| | Sarawak United Peoples' Party | Sarawak United Peoples' Party | Sarawak United Peoples' Party | 72,178 | 28.83 | 12 |
| | Sarawak Alliance | | Parti Bumiputera Sarawak | 32,390 | 12.94 | 11 |
| | Sarawak Alliance | | Sarawak Chinese Association | 31,278 | 12.49 | 4 |
| | Sarawak Alliance | Total | Total | 63,668 | 25.43 | 15 |
| | Sarawak National Party | Sarawak National Party | Sarawak National Party | 61,241 | 24.46 | 12 |
| | Parti Pesaka Sarawak | Parti Pesaka Sarawak | Parti Pesaka Sarawak | 34,281 | 13.69 | 8 |
| | Independents | Independents | Independents | 18,987 | 7.58 | 1 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | 250,355 | 100.00 | 48 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | 250,355 | 94.04 | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 15,870 | 5.96 | |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 266,225 | 100.00 | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 332,737 | 80.01 | |
| Source: Almanak Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum: Parlimen & Dewan Undangan Negeri (1959-1999) |||||||

### Results by constituency

The full list of representatives is shown below:
| No. | State Constituency | Elected Council Negri Members | Elected Party |
| Alliance 15 | SNAP 12 | SUPP 12 | Pesaka 8 | IND 1 ||| |
| S01 | Lundu | Chong Kim Mook | SUPP |
| S02 | Bau | Ong Ah Khim | SUPP |
| S03 | Kuching Barat | Cheng Yew Kiew | Alliance |
| S04 | Kuching Timor | Stephen K.T. Yong | SUPP |
| S05 | Semariang | Ajibah Abol | Alliance |
| S06 | Sekama | Sim Kheng Hong | SUPP |
| S07 | Sebandi | Ikhwan bin Abang Haji Zainei | Alliance |
| S08 | Muara Tuang | Mohamad Musa | Alliance |
| S09 | Batu Kawah | Chong Kiun Kong | SUPP |
| S10 | Bengoh | Segus Anak Ginyai | SUPP |
| S11 | Tarat | Nelson Kundai Ngareng | SNAP |
| S12 | Tebakang | Michael Ben Ak Panggi | SNAP |
| S13 | Semera | Lee Thiam Kee(Puteh) | Alliance |
| S14 | Gedong | Abang Haji Abdul Rahim | Alliance |
| S15 | Lingga-Sebuyau | Dato' Penghulu Tawi Sli | Pesaka |
| S16 | Simanggang | Nelson Liap Kudu | SNAP |
| S17 | Engkilili-Skrang | Simon Dembab Maja | Pesaka |
| S18 | Ulu Ai | David Anak Jemut | SNAP |
| S19 | Saribas | Kihok bin Amat | Alliance |
| S20 | Layar | Dato' Stephen Kalong Ningkan | SNAP |
| S21 | Kalaka | Wan Alwi bin Tuanku Ibrahim | Pesaka |
| S22 | Krian | Dunstan Endawie Enchana | SNAP |
| S23 | Kuala Rajang | Dato' Haji Abdul Rahman Ya'kub | Alliance |
| S24 | Repok | Khoo Peng Loong | SUPP |
| S25 | Matu-Daro | Awang Hipni bin Pengiran Anu | Alliance |
| S26 | Binatang | Anthony Teo Tiao Gin | SUPP |
| S27 | Sibu Tengah | Chew Kim Poon | SUPP |
| S28 | Sibu Luar | Wong Kah Sing | SUPP |
| S29 | Igan | Ling Beng Siong | Alliance |
| S30 | Dudong | Kong Chung Siew | SUPP |
| S31 | Balingian | Mohd. Pauzi bin Hamdani | Alliance |
| S32 | Oya | Vincent Ferrer Suyong | Alliance |
| S33 | Pakan | Mandi Anak Sanar | Pesaka |
| S34 | Meluan | Gramong Anak Jelian | SNAP |
| S35 | Machan | Thomas Kana | Pesaka |
| S36 | Ngemah | Lias Anak Kana | IND |
| S37 | Song | Ngelambong Bangau | SNAP |
| S38 | Pelagus | Bennet Jarrow | Pesaka |
| S39 | Baleh | Kenyan Anak Temenggong Koh | Pesaka |
| S40 | Belaga | Nyipa Kilah | SUPP |
| S41 | Tatau | Awang Ismail bin Pg. Zainuddin | Alliance |
| S42 | Kemana | Ahok Anak Jalin | Pesaka |
| S43 | Subis | Francis Loke | SNAP |
| S44 | Miri | Chia Chin Shin | Alliance |
| S45 | Marudi | Edward Jeli Anak Blayong | SNAP |
| S46 | Telang Usan | Balan Seling | SNAP |
| S47 | Limbang | Dato' James Wong Kim Min | SNAP |
| S48 | Lawas | Awang Daud bin Awang Metusin | Alliance |

## Aftermath

The prime minister of Malaysia, Tun Abdul Razak invited SUPP to join the Sarawak Alliance a month before the election to form a coalition government as SNAP previously did not have a good relationship with the federal government. SUPP eventually followed the federal preferences to form a coalition government with Parti Bumiputera. This enables the coalition to secure a total of 27 out of 48 seats in the Sarawak Council Negri (now Sarawak State Legislative Assembly). SUPP joined the coalition government as an equal partner with Parti Bumiputera, where both parties signed a letter of understanding on the composition of the new Sarawak government cabinet. Abdul Rahman Ya'kub (Parti Bumiputera) was nominated as chief minister with Stephen Yong (SUPP) and Simon Demak Maja (PESAKA) as deputy chief ministers. SCA was excluded from the Sarawak cabinet positions after the elections.