No reason for PM to reject proposed 35 pct parliamentary seats for S’wak, Sabah, says NGO advisor

3 months ago 32

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By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, July 29: There is no reason for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim not to implement the proposed 35 per cent share of parliamentary seats for Sarawak and Sabah.

In pointing this out, The Sarawak Initiatives (TSI) advisor, Prof Dr James Chin, said that the federal cabinet agreed to it during former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri’s administration.

“When we get the 35 per cent, it will fundamentally change the federal-State relationship. It means Putrajaya cannot ignore Sarawak and Sabah constitutionally.

“If we don’t get the 35 per cent, then we do not have real leverage as Malaya alone can change the federal constitution at will, as is the situation now,” he said in a press statement today.

He added that this was also among the resolutions adopted at the Borneo States Symposium II, which was organised by TSI and Sabah Action Body Advocating Rights (SABAR) and held in Kuching recently.

Chin also warned that many local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) oppose the move to grant Sarawak and Sabah 35 per cent of the seats in Parliament.

He pointed out that there are many well-meaning local NGOs in Sarawak who are influenced by Malayan NGOs, arguing about the ‘one man, one vote’ rule.

He said these local NGOs do not realise that they are following Peninsular Malaysia NGOs in promoting this idea, which would not allow Sarawak and Sabah to get one-third seats.

“Another idea they are actively promoting is to grant one-third of Dewan Negara seats to Sarawak and Sabah.

“All this will not work because, without a constitutional amendment to grant Sabah and Sarawak 35 per cent of the seats, there is no guarantee that future Putrajaya governments will honour this ad hoc agreement. Hence, we must insist that 35 per cent be written into the Constitution,” he added. — DayakDaily

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