Special committee proposed to work out 35 pct parliamentary seats for Sabah, S’wak

1 hour ago 5

ADVERTISE HERE

By Shikin Louis

KUCHING, Oct 5: A special committee has been proposed to work out the mechanism for increasing the number of Dewan Rakyat seats for Sabah and Sarawak, including the long-standing demand for at least 35 per cent representation.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) Datuk Mustapha Sakmud said he had proposed the committee be established under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 Implementation Action Council (MTPMA63) Technical Committee.

“I also proposed that a special committee be established under the Technical Committee to work out the implementation in detail — I propose that it be jointly chaired by the Minister of Law and myself,” he said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.

However, Mustapha stressed that this was still at the initial discussion stage.

He said the increase in the number of Dewan Rakyat members from Sabah and Sarawak had already been discussed at meetings of the MTPMA63, its Technical Committee and the Cabinet.

“Following that decision, I myself have had an initial discussion with the Election Commission (EC) to obtain its input and find out what actions need to be taken next,” he said.

Mustapha said the issue would continue to be discussed and monitored at the next MTPMA63 Technical Committee meeting.

He was responding to Puncak Borneo MP Datuk Willie Mongin, who asked whether the federal government agreed in principle with the objective of ensuring Sabah and Sarawak have at least 35 per cent of the Dewan Rakyat seats.

Willie said the demand was provided for in the Cobbold Commission and Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) Report and should not be disregarded or breached.

“MA63 is not something we can simply treat lightly. We are rooted in history and hold on to the promises made. The original principles behind the formation of Malaysia must be upheld and cannot be reneged on,” he said.

He also asked what legislative mechanisms and steps would be required to realise the objective, as well as when the process could begin.

Willie stressed that the matter was important to ensure a balance of power in the Dewan Rakyat and called for it to be resolved as soon as possible. — DayakDaily

Read Entire Article