KUCHING: The status and progress of the proposed addition of 17 Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) seats must be clearly explained to the public to ensure they understand the constitutional and legal process involved.
Balingian assemblyman Abdul Yakub Arbi said the proposal, which has been approved by the Sarawak DUN, would increase the total number of seats from 82 to 99 and must proceed in accordance with established legal and procedural requirements.
He said the electoral boundary delineation process by the Election Commission (EC), followed by the subsequent process at the parliamentary level, was part of the procedures that must be complied with.
“No one is asking for procedures to be set aside, but procedures must be consistent and cannot be applied using double standards,” he said in a statement today (Aug. 8).
Abdul Yakub said the public should be provided with clear updates on the current status, progress and expected timeline of the process.
He said this would help prevent confusion and ensure the issue of the additional DUN seats continue to be viewed based on facts and the actual process.
“The people of Sarawak have the right to know the actual status of the process, what further developments are required and when the process is expected to be completed,” he said.
He also stressed the importance of referring to official records and documents when discussing Sarawak’s constitutional relationship with the Federal Government.
He said issues concerning the Territorial Sea Act 1966 (TSA 1966) and Petroleum Development Act 1974 (PDA 1974), for instance, could be objectively examined through Parliamentary Hansard, legal records, constitutional documents and relevant official correspondence.
He said an evidence-based approach was essential to ensure discussions on the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and Sarawak-Federal relations were not driven solely by perceptions.
“Questions concerning history and the Constitution should be answered based on documents and facts, not political rhetoric,” he said.
Abdul Yakub also stressed that constitutional processes must be guided by transparency, consistency and mutual respect between the Sarawak and Federal Governments.
He said matters relating to MA63 and Sarawak’s rights should continue to be addressed through constitutional and institutional channels to safeguard the interests of all parties.
“If procedures are truly the principle, then let that principle apply to everyone – in the past, present and future,” he said.
