Borneo states should have ‘Plan B’ if 35 pct Parliament seats demand not met, says Sabah STAR leader

KOTA KINABALU (Sept 30): Sabah and Sarawak need to seriously have a ‘Plan B’ in case their demand for the return of 35 per cent quota of seats in Parliament is not met by the federal government, said Datuk Kenny Chua.

The Parti Solidariti Tanahairku (Sabah STAR) deputy president said both Borneo territories cannot assume that the federal government will one day give them one-third of the decision-making power in the august House.

“I think Sabah and Sarawak should actively discuss a Plan B. If our demand is not met, we must know already what’s our next step.

“This next step must align with the true aspirations of Sabahans and Sarawakians,” he said in a statement today.

He said this to concur with Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg that 35 per cent of seats are needed to ensure Parliament cannot attempt to amend the Federal Constitution to revoke the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

Chua stressed the importance of having one-third representation in Parliament from Sabah and Sarawak to ensure the MA63 is safeguarded.

“This is a very serious concern that all of us must take heed. This can happen because we’re a minority in Parliament.

“So, we can either wait until God knows when for our demand to be met or we can start exploring ways how we can be a few steps ahead,” he said.

According to Chua, it is sad to see that Sabah and Sarawak have been made to beg for their rights.

He explained that when Malaysia was formed, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore made up one-third of the seats in Parliament.

However, when Singapore pulled out of the federation, its seats were taken by Malaya instead of being given equally to the Borneo territories.

Chua concurred with Abang Johari that the interests of Sabah and Sarawak are not guaranteed if the states don’t have one-third of seats in Parliament.

Sabah and Sarawak combined have 56 out of the total of 222 seats in Parliament, which is only about 25 per cent.

Chua also reiterated that the federal government must respect the position of Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners in the formation of the nation, and not just states like those in Peninsular Malaysia.

“I think this is a very important historical fact that we must always remember. If Sabah and Sarawak are recognised for our role in nation building, then our rights must be respected and returned,” he stressed.

He pointed out that ironically, as a partner, Sabah remains the poorest in the country.

“It’s not because we’re incapable of developing our territory. It’s not because we’re lacking natural resources or human capital,” he added.