Kota Kinabalu: Balung State Assemblyman Syed Ahmad Syed Abas has said his proposal to increase the number of State Legislative Assembly and Parliamentary seats in Sabah is aimed at strengthening representation for future generations.
He said the proposal to increase State Assembly seats from 25 to 36 and Parliamentary seats from 25 to 94 is intended as long-term preparation rather than for current political gain.
He acknowledged comments from social media observers who described the proposal as unreasonable, but said the matter should be considered in the context of the next 20 to 30 years.
He said some parties have raised concerns that the minimum population for a parliamentary constituency should be 150,000 people.
However, he said population data shows several states in Peninsular Malaysia also have parliamentary constituencies with populations below that threshold.
He said six states in Peninsular Malaysia have constituencies with populations below 150,000, including Perlis, which has about 100,000 people for one parliamentary seat.
“I am surprised that Perak has a population of only 2.57 million but has 24 Members of Parliament, while we in Sabah, with a population of 3.79 million, only have 25 MPs,” he said during the State Legislative Assembly sitting on Monday.
Syed Ahmad said increasing both State Assembly and Parliamentary seats would strengthen Sabah’s position in advocating for state rights, including the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and the 40 per cent revenue entitlement.
“When our State Assembly seats and Parliamentary seats are increased, our voice will be stronger. With a stronger voice, we will be better able to fight for MA63 and the 40 per cent state rights,” he said.
He also raised concerns over potential global economic challenges, particularly Malaysia’s reliance on rice imports from countries such as India and Vietnam.
He therefore supported the state government’s efforts to revive the rice cultivation sector in Sabah through the Sabah Paddy and Rice Board to strengthen food security during crises.
