Sabah, Sarawak MPs told to act

Kuala Lumpur: Borneo Members of Parliament are urged to restore parliamentary seats to 35 per cent from the overall number, as what was decided when Malaysia was formed 59 years ago.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili said of late, lawmakers from Sabah and Sarawak have demanded for a review on the number of parliamentary seats for both states.

“In 1963, Sabah had 16 seats, Sarawak (24) and Singapore (15), representing 35 per cent from the overall 159 parliamentary seats, while the remaining 65 per cent or 104 seats were Malaya. Malaya did not possess the majority then. “But when Singapore left Malaysia in 1965, the seats belonging to Singapore should have been given to Sabah and Sarawak, to maintain the 35 per cent representation,” said Ongkili, in his ministerial winding up speech, Thursday.

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The Kota Marudu Member of Parliament added that proposed restoration of seats has been endorsed by the Parliamentary Select Committee in 2012 which he personally chaired as then Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation.

“I would also like to suggest for all Sabah and Sarawak MPs to discuss this demand openly and orderly, and decisions be taken up with the Election Commission (EC) for further action,” he said.

He added that the Sabah and Sarawak Affairs Division would engage with the Borneon MPs to discuss the matter further, while the demand should also be tabled in the Sabah and Sarawak legislative assemblies.

“The ultimate task is to convince the EC of the need to restore the original proportion of MP seats for Sabah and Sarawak in accordance with the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63),” Ongkili stressed.

Based on the current calculation, of the 222 parliamentary seats, 166 or 75 per cent are in the Peninsula Malaysia while the remaining 25 per cent or 56 seats are for the Borneo states, with Sarawak (31) and Sabah (25).

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