One-third parliamentary seats for Sarawak, Sabah: A crucial step towards true equality in Malaysia

The Sarawak Legislative Assembly complex.

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, Oct 4: Granting one-third of parliamentary seats to Sarawak and Sabah is essential for honouring the sacred institution of Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and represents a vital step toward achieving true equality in the nation, especially given Malaysia’s growing population and shifting political landscape.

During recent events, Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg underscored the urgent need for Sarawak and Sabah to be granted one-third, or 35 per cent, of parliamentary seats to safeguard their rights under MA63.

At a gathering in Kapit on Sept 29, he stressed that this allocation is also vital for protecting the interests of the Bornean regions and preventing constitutional changes that could be detrimental to them.

At a related workshop in Kuching on Sept 30, Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) deputy president Dato Henry Harry Jinep likened MA63 to a sacred marital agreement, asserting that “the husband must take good care of and treat his wife and children fairly.”

According to a commentary by Peter Sibon from the Sarawak Public Communications Unit (Ukas), Harry’s analogy offers a clear perspective on how MA63 can be easily understood.

Like any social contract, MA63 must be implemented for the benefit of all parties involved, with Sarawak and Sabah recognised as equal partners with Malaya in the Federation of Malaysia.

Addressing the issue of parliamentary seat allocation, Harry pointed out that, based on MA63, Sarawak and Sabah should have received one-third of Parliament’s seats. Currently, the Lower House, or Dewan Rakyat, has 222 seats, with Sarawak holding 31 and Sabah 25, totalling 56 seats for the two Bornean regions—only 25 per cent of the total.

The Sarawak flag at Dataran Ibu Pertiwiku waves majestically against a serene blue sky. Photo credit: Karen Bong

Some commentators speculate that increasing the allocation to one-third would grant each Bornean region 37 seats, totalling 74. However, it’s impractical to expect states in Malaya to relinquish their existing seats, which would unfairly affect constituents facing seat removals or mergers.

Therefore, the only viable solution is to increase the overall number of parliamentary seats, allowing all three partners to gain additional representation.

With Malaysia’s population reaching 34 million, the need for seat delineation has become pressing, as the last review occurred in 2018, during which the population increased by over 5 million.

While there may be concerns about densely populated areas like Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Johor Bahru, Kuching, and Kota Kinabalu requiring delineation, it is also crucial to consider Sarawak, where vast constituencies like Hulu Rajang, which consisted of Baleh, Belaga and Murum state constituency seats, encompass areas as large as Pahang.

At the formation of Malaysia, the combined number of parliamentary seats held by Singapore, Sarawak, and Sabah exceeded one-third. However, after Singapore’s departure in 1965, its seats were redistributed to Peninsular Malaysia instead of being shared with Sarawak and Sabah.

Since then, the rights of the Bornean regions have been eroded through unilateral amendments to the Federal Constitution without the consent of the State Legislative Assemblies of Sarawak and Sabah.

This has relegated Sarawak and Sabah to the status of being one of the states within the federation rather than partners. This status was only acknowledged in October 2021 after extensive negotiations.

A photo of participants at Kuching Street Parade 2023 on Aug 5, 2023.

With the current political dynamics of the Madani government, both Sarawak and Sabah are positioned to reclaim what they lost over the past 59 years.

Abang Johari’s call for one-third of parliamentary seats was delivered directly to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during the Kapit function, making the demand for equitable representation unmistakably clear.

The message to Putrajaya is resounding: 35 per cent of the total parliamentary seats should be allocated to East Malaysia without further delay or negotiation.

Now that the ball is in the Prime Minister’s court, it is hoped that he will uphold his commitment, ensuring that Malaysia—comprising three regions—continues to function as a ‘family’ in equal partnership within the federation. — DayakDaily