SIBU: Sabah and Sarawak should be given one-third representation each in the Dewan Rakyat to fulfil the promise made in the Malaysia Agreement 1963, says Senator Robert Lau Hui Yew.
The Bawang Assan SUPP chairman also said the advocacy group, Projek Sama, was misleading the public by suggesting that the two Borneo states should instead be given one-third of the Dewan Negara membership each.
"Projek Sama's suggestion for Sabah and Sarawak to have veto power in the Dewan Negara (the Senate) by giving them one-third of the membership each instead of in the Dewan Rakyat is misconceived. We all know that real power lies in the Dewan Rakyat and not the Dewan Negara.
"Projek Sama's statement paints a misleading picture. It stated that the Senate has veto power. This is not true. The Senate’s power is limited to delaying a Bill from becoming law," Lau said in a statement on Monday (Sept 16).
He added that several provisions in the Constitution limit the power of the Senate. These include Article 68, which allows for a monetary Bill passed by the Dewan Rakyat to be presented directly to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for royal assent if the Dewan Negara fails to pass it within a month.
"As for non-monetary Bills, the Senate can only delay Bills passed by the Dewan Rakyat by a year. It has no veto power," he said.
Lau also said Projek Sama had wrongly stated that there was only 4.29% representation from Sarawak and Sabah in the Dewan Negara.
"This only takes into account the senators elected by each state assembly (two from each state). It fails to consider the remaining 40 senators appointed by the King.
"Currently, there are nine senators from Sarawak (two elected by the Sarawak assembly and seven appointed by the King) and five from Sabah," he said.
"The promises made to the people of Sarawak and Sabah to gain their support for the formation of Malaysia in 1963 must be honoured.
"One key promise is that two-thirds of the seats in Parliament (Dewan Rakyat) be allocated to non-Malayan members to prevent MPs from the peninsula from amending the Constitution unilaterally," Lau said.
"Of course, Sarawak and Sabah do not mind having one-third representation each in the Dewan Negara. It will be a good starting point to realise the promise of two-thirds representation in Parliament.
"Let us celebrate Malaysia Day in its true spirit as laid out in 1963. Happy Malaysia Day," Lau said in his statement.
