Crucial for S’wak, Sabah to have 35 pct parliamentary seats to safeguard rights, says Abdul Karim

KUCHING (Oct 14): The allocation of one-third of parliamentary seats to Sarawak and Sabah is crucial to safeguard their rights within Malaysia, said Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

The Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts pointed out that the country’s founding principles, laid down during the formation of Malaysia in 1963, were clear about ensuring fair representation for the Borneo states.

“In Malaysia, we have what we call the Federal Constitution – that is the ‘Bible’ of how Malaysia is being managed.

“Even though the Constitution can be amended, to do so is tricky because you need at least two-thirds majority of those in Parliament to amend it,” he told a press conference today.

Abdul Karim was responding to a commentary that questioned the demands of the East Malaysian states for one-third of Parliamentary seats.

Constitutional expert Prof Dr Nik Ahmad Kamal Nik Mahmood claimed that such a demand was not made based on the Federal Constitution but rather the Cobbold Commission Report, Sarawak’s 18-Point Agreement, and Sabah’s 20-point Agreement.

According to Abdul Karim, the intention of the nation’s forefathers must be respected and considered in granting the Borneo states’ demand for one-third of parliamentary seats.

He pointed out that when Malaysia was established, the combined seats of Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore accounted for more than a third of the total in Parliament.

However, following Singapore’s departure in 1965, its 15 parliamentary seats were absorbed into Peninsular Malaysia, giving the peninsula more than two-thirds of the seats.

“Technically they can bulldoze through any amendments to the Constitution, even the rights of Sarawak and Sabah – that is not what our forefathers, who agreed to form Malaysia, had gotten in mind,” he said.

As such, he said any amendments to the Constitution or should there are delineation of boundaries, must reflect Sarawak and Sabah, which should be represented by at least one-third of those sitting in the house of representatives.