Tamin rep: Sarawak, Sabah need constitutional guarantee of one-third Parliament seats

Sarawak Legislative Assembly Complex and Darul Hana Bridge. Photo credit: TVS

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, Sept 12: Tamin assemblyman Ir Christopher Gira Sambang has proposed a constitutional guarantee ensuring Sabah and Sarawak collectively hold at least one-third of the seats in the Dewan Rakyat, saying merely increasing the number of parliamentary seats would not fulfil the long-standing demand of the Borneo states as founding partners of the federation.

Gira, who is also Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) Youth chief, said the federal government’s agreement to increase Sabah and Sarawak’s share of parliamentary seats was a positive development, but stressed that the intended outcome must be clearly defined.

“Increasing the number of seats without committing to a minimum one-third share does not fully address Sabah and Sarawak’s actual demand,” he said in a statement today.

This was in responding to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s remarks following the Malaysia Agreement 1963 Implementation Action Council (MTPMA63) meeting in Sabah yesterday (Sept 11), indicating that the federal government has agreed in principle to increase the ratio of parliamentary representation for Sabah and Sarawak in line with the spirit of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

He said the demand was not simply for a few additional parliamentary seats, but for the restoration of a meaningful political safeguard consistent with the spirit of Malaysia’s formation in 1963.

At present, Sabah and Sarawak hold 56 of the 222 seats in the Dewan Rakyat, representing about 25.2 per cent of the total.

Gira said a small increase would therefore be insufficient if Sabah and Sarawak still did not collectively hold at least one-third of the seats.

“We therefore need a guaranteed proportion, rather than merely an announcement of additional seats,” he said.

He described the one-third ratio as an important constitutional and political safeguard, particularly in ensuring that major constitutional amendments requiring a two-thirds majority could not be made without the meaningful participation and agreement of representatives from Sabah and Sarawak.

He stressed that the proposed safeguard was not intended to give Sabah and Sarawak control over Parliament or deny the rights of other states.

“Its purpose is to ensure that the position, interests and rights of the Borneo regions cannot be disregarded in major federal decisions,” he said.

Gira also proposed that if the number of parliamentary seats in Peninsular Malaysia increased in future, the combined allocation for Sabah and Sarawak should automatically be adjusted to preserve the minimum one-third ratio.

“Otherwise, the proportion would decline again, making the safeguard temporary. This is why a guaranteed percentage is more important than merely fixing a specific number of seats,” he said.

He called for the one-third guarantee to be expressly incorporated into the Federal Constitution to provide legal certainty and prevent the arrangement from being altered according to changing political circumstances.

“The constitutional amendment should clearly state that the combined number of parliamentary seats allocated to Sabah and Sarawak must not be less than one-third of the total membership of the Dewan Rakyat,” he said.

Gira said any increase in seats that still fell short of the one-third threshold could be welcomed as an initial step, but should not be regarded as a complete resolution of the demand.

“Sarawak’s demand is clear: it is not merely for additional seats, but for the restoration of a meaningful and permanent political safeguard,” he said.

He urged the federal government to consider the matter within the historical context of Malaysia’s formation, the spirit of the MA63, and the position of Sabah and Sarawak as founding partners of the federation.

Gira also called for transparent consultation with the Sabah and Sarawak governments before any proposed constitutional amendment was finalised.

“The government should not merely add a few seats without resolving the fundamental demand.

“Malaysia will be stronger when the rights of its partners and the original spirit of its formation are respected,” he said. — DayakDaily