Anwar: Cabinet gives consent, ratio to be worked out later
KOTA KINABALU: The Federal Government has consented to increasing parliamentary representation from Sabah and Sarawak to reflect the spirit of the formation of Malaysia, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He said the Cabinet had agreed to this in principle and in accordance with a ratio that would be worked out.
Currently, the two Borneo states have 56 of the 222 seats in the Dewan Rakyat.
Speaking to reporters yesterday after the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) Implementation Action Council meeting, Anwar said the Election Commission (EC) will handle the allocation of additional seats, which may also include an increase in Peninsular Malaysia.
“The increase must raise the Sabah-Sarawak ratio. That is the first important matter,” he said.
Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg were with Anwar at the joint press conference here.
When asked whether the target was 40% representation for Sabah and Sarawak, Anwar clarified: “No. In 1963, together with Singapore, it was one-third. Now we need to look at the mechanism.”
During the formation of Malaysia, the Parliament comprised one-third representatives from Singapore and Borneo states, which was a constitutional safeguard that ensured Malaya did not hold more than two-third of the seats in Parliament.
When Singapore left in 1965, the ratio of Sabah and Sarawak representation in Parliament was just 25%, while Peninsular Malaysia increased to 75%.
On the timeline for implementing the new seats and whether they can be finalised before the next general election, Anwar said: “I do not want to interfere with the constitutional process; the decision has been made and the EC has been informed.”
