| Election Name: | 1996 Sarawak state election |
| Country: | Sarawak |
| Type: | legislative |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1991 Sarawak state election |
| Previous Year: | 1991 |
| Previous Mps: | Members of the 13th Sarawak State Legislative Assembly |
| Next Election: | 2001 Sarawak state election |
| Next Year: | 2001 |
| Next Mps: | Members of the 15th Sarawak State Legislative Assembly |
| Elected Mps: | Members of the 14th Sarawak State Legislative Assembly |
| Seats For Election: | All 62 seats in the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly |
| Majority Seats: | 32 |
| Election Date: | 7–8 September 1996 |
| Registered: | 814,347 |
| Turnout: | 372,594 (64.18%) |
| Leader1: | Abdul Taib Mahmud |
| Party1: | Barisan Nasional |
| Leaders Seat1: | Asajaya |
| Popular Vote1: | 242,839 |
| Percentage1: | 67.7% |
| Swing1: | 4.9% |
| Last Election1: | 49 seats, 62.8% |
| Seats Before1: | 56 |
| Seats1: | 57 |
| Seat Change1: | 1 |
| Leader2: | Wong Sing Nang |
| Leader Since2: | Unknown |
| Party2: | Democratic Action Party |
| Leaders Seat2: | Pelawan |
| Popular Vote2: | 32,421 |
| Percentage2: | 9.0% |
| Swing2: | 0.6% |
| Last Election2: | 0 seat, 9.7% |
| Seats Before2: | 0 |
| Seats2: | 3 |
| Seat Change2: | 3 |
| Chief Minister | |
| Posttitle: | Subsequent chief minister |
| Before Election: | Abdul Taib Mahmud |
| Before Party: | Barisan Nasional |
| After Election: | Abdul Taib Mahmud |
| After Party: | Barisan Nasional |
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.
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.
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.[2] [3]
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:[4]
| 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 | 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 | BN | |||||||
| N11 | Batu Kawah | Alfred Yap Chin Loi | BN | ||||||
| N12 | Asajaya | BN | |||||||
| N13 | Muara Tuang | BN | |||||||
| N14 | Bengoh | William Tanyuh | BN | ||||||
| N15 | Tarat | Roland Sagah Wee Inn | BN | ||||||
| N16 | Tebedu | 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 | 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 | BN | ||||||
| N28 | Kalaka | Abdul Wahab Aziz | BN | ||||||
| N29 | Krian | Peter Nyarok Entire | BN | ||||||
| N30 | Belawai | Haji Hamden Ahmad | 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 | 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 | DAP | |||||||
| N40 | Dudong | Dr Soon Choon Teck | BN | ||||||
| N41 | Bawang Assan | Datuk Wong Soon Koh | BN | ||||||
| N42 | Pelawan | Wong Sing Nang | DAP | ||||||
| N43 | Nangka | Awang Bemee Awang Ali Basah | 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 | BN | ||||||
| N48 | Pelagus | Datuk Sng Chee Hua | BN | ||||||
| N49 | Katibas | Ambrose Blikau Enturan | BN | ||||||
| N50 | Baleh | BN | |||||||
| N51 | Belaga | Stanley Ajang Batok | BN | ||||||
| N52 | Kemena | BN | |||||||
| N53 | Kidurong | Wong Sing Ai | DAP | ||||||
| N54 | Jepak | Talib Bin Zulpilip | BN | ||||||
| N55 | Lambir | T E Aidan Wing | BN | ||||||
| N56 | Piasau | BN | |||||||
| N57 | Senadin | Lee Kim Shin | BN | ||||||
| N58 | Marudi | Sylvester Entri Anak Muran | BN | ||||||
| N59 | Telang Usan | Kebing Wan | IND | ||||||
| N60 | Limbang | BN | |||||||
| N61 | Lawas | BN | |||||||
| N62 | Ba'kelalan | Dr Judson Sakai Tagal | BN | ||||||