The creation of a new state constituency seat in the Kinabatangan Parliamentary constituency will drive development efforts in the area in a more balanced manner.

Member of Parliament for Kinabatangan, Bung Moktar Radin, said the constituency, known as Bukit Garam, was among the new state constituencies to be created through the redelineation of the Sabah state constituencies soon.

He said the Kinabatangan parliamentary constituency covers an area of 1,759,380 hectares with two state constituencies, namely Sukau and Kinabatangan.

"The Kinabatangan parliamentary constituency is extensive and this makes it difficult to implement development in a comprehensive manner.

"The addition of another state constituency in the Kinabatangan parliamentary constituency will be able to drive development in the area in a balanced manner," he said when approached at the Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house for the Kinabatangan Parliamentary constituency in Kinabatangan today.

The Sabah Election Commission director, Idrus Ismail, was quoted yesterday as saying that matters on the additional state constituencies in Sabah were being left to the Sabah State Assembly which will sit on Aug 8.

An additional 11 to 13 state constituencies are expected to be created in the Sabah state legislative assembly if the bill on it is approved at the state assembly sitting.

- Bernama