Sarawak seeks final grant formula, more seats

SARAWAK is pushing for a permanent formula to determine its Special Grant and greater parliamentary representation, with both issues still awaiting final resolution with Putrajaya.

Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Department (Law, MA63 and State-Federal Relations) Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali said the increase in the interim Special Grant from RM600 million to RM1.5 billion was welcomed by the Sarawak government but did not constitute a final settlement under Article 112D of the Federal Constitution.

She said the announcement by Prime Minister on Sept 16, 2026, represented an increase in interim payments, while discussions on a clear and consistent formula to determine the grant rate were still ongoing.

“To date, no final formula has been mutually agreed upon,” she said in her reply to Royston Valentine (GPS-Telian) during question and answer session on Friday (Oct 16).

The proposed formula is intended to provide a long-term solution for determining the Special Grant, rather than relying on interim payments.

Sharifah Hasidah said the increased grant would strengthen the state government’s financial capacity to implement its development agenda, including infrastructure, public facilities and services for the people.

On Sarawak and Sabah’s demand for one-third of parliamentary seats, she said the state government maintained that their representation in the Dewan Rakyat must reflect the spirit and principles underpinning the formation of Malaysia in 1963.

She said the federal government had agreed in principle at the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) Implementation Action Council meeting on Sept 11, 2026, to increase the proportion of parliamentary representation for both states.

However, the implementation mechanism, including the number of seats and the constitutional amendments required, still needed to be refined.

Sharifah Hasidah said the demand for one-third representation was not merely about increasing the number of seats but ensuring adequate protection for Sabah and Sarawak’s rights and interests within the federal structure.

With at least one-third of Dewan Rakyat seats collectively, she said, the two states would have a more meaningful position in the constitutional amendment process, which requires a two-thirds majority in Parliament.

She noted that during the formation of Malaysia in 1963, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore collectively held more than one-third of the seats in the Dewan Rakyat.

The Sarawak government, she said, would continue pursuing outstanding MA63 matters through negotiations with the Federal Government via the existing Implementation Action Council.