KUCHING: Increasing parliamentary representation for Sabah and Sarawak would strengthen the constitutional safeguards of the Federation and restore a balance that reflects the spirit of the formation of Malaysia in 1963.
The proposal has been welcomed by Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Supreme Council member and Dewan Negara member Senator Datuk Ahmad Ibrahim, who said the move should not be viewed merely as the creation of additional parliamentary constituencies.
He said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s clarification that the proportion of representation for Sabah and Sarawak in the Dewan Rakyat should also increase was an important development.
“At the formation of Malaysia, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore collectively held more than one third of the seats in the House of Representatives.
“This gave the Borneo territories and Singapore a meaningful constitutional safeguard within the Federation,” he said in an interview with Sarawak Tribune today.
Ahmad said Singapore’s departure subsequently altered the balance of representation, making increased representation for Sabah and Sarawak important not only from a political perspective but also in strengthening the safeguards of the Federation.
He said stronger representation would ensure that major national and constitutional decisions continued to take into account the interests and circumstances of Malaysia’s Borneo states.
He also welcomed the Prime Minister’s position that the ratio itself should increase, saying the mechanism should reflect the original spirit behind the formation of Malaysia.
On Sarawak’s proposed additional 17 State Legislative Assembly seats, Ahmad said the Sarawak Legislative Assembly had already approved the increase in membership from 82 to 99 seats.
He said the Election Commission had subsequently proceeded with the redelineation process, including the public display of the proposed constituencies beginning this month.
“The process should now be allowed to proceed according to the Constitution and electoral laws and ultimately obtain the necessary approval so that the additional seats can be implemented,” he said.
Ahmad stressed that there should be no political conditions attached to the approval of the additional Sarawak seats, as the matter was separate from political negotiations.
He said the creation and delineation of constituencies were constitutional and electoral processes, while decisions on which political parties would contest the constituencies should be made afterwards by the respective parties.
“Once the constituencies legally exist, all political parties must be free to contest them in accordance with our democratic system,” he said.
Ahmad also stressed the principle of “Sarawak First”, saying it did not mean opposing Malaysia or cooperation with the Federal Government.
“On the contrary, a stronger Sarawak and a stronger Sabah will contribute towards a stronger and more balanced Malaysia,” he said.
He said Sarawak’s constitutional position, representation and future political voice must remain a priority whenever decisions directly concerned the state.
Ahmad said the discussion on additional parliamentary representation for Sabah and Sarawak should instead be viewed as an opportunity to strengthen the Federation through partnership, mutual respect and constitutional safeguards.
“The additional representation of Sabah and Sarawak is not about taking something away from Peninsular Malaysia.
“It is about strengthening the balance upon which Malaysia was built and safeguarding our nation for generations to come,” he said.
