MIRI: Sibuti Member of Parliament Lukanisman Awang Sauni has lauded the Federal government’s commitment to endorse restoring 35 per cent of parliamentary seats for East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak).
He said the decision would allow Sabah and Sarawak to have a bigger voice in Parliament especially when it comes to amending the Federal Constitution which requires a two-thirds majority.
He said, under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), Sabah and Sarawak are equal partners with Malaya of the Federation of Malaysia, thus, the move (35 per cent of Parliamentary seats) is very important to create balance between Semenanjung and the two Borneo states (Sabah and Sarawak).
He pointed out that the seats agreement had also been recommended in the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) Report and Cobbold Commission (1962).
Therefore, he expressed hopes that the process (restoring 35 per cent of Parliamentary seats in Sabah and Sarawak) would be expedited.
“On July last year, I had brought up two issues during the Parliament sitting – one pertaining the needs of having Sarawak’s representative in the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) and the distribution of 15 seats which was held by Singapore when it left Malaysia in 1965,” he told reporters when met at the ‘Merdeka@Parlimen’ programme held at Taman Tunku, here on Saturday.
For record,in 1963, Sabah had 16 seats, while Sarawak 24 and Singapore held 15, thus representing 35 per cent from the then 159 parliamentary seats.
The remaining seats -104 or 65 per cent were held by Peninsula Malaysia. Currently, there are a total 222 parliamentary seats, 166 or 75 per cent in Peninsula Malaysia while 56 seats (25 per cent) are for Borneo States (Sabah and Sarawak).
