PM Anwar confirms additional parliamentary seats for East Malaysia, but one-third allocation delayed
PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has announced that Sabah and Sarawak will receive additional parliamentary seats prior to the 16th General Election (GE16), marking a significant step towards fulfilling the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) provisions.
Speaking at an event in Kota Kinabalu, the Prime Minister clarified that while new seats would be added, the East Malaysian states’ request for one-third representation in the Dewan Rakyat would not be immediately achieved.
The demand for one-third representation under MA63 requires further examination by federal and state governments due to varying interpretations of the agreement, Anwar explained. Legal experts from the Attorney-General’s Chambers, along with their counterparts in Sabah and Sarawak, are currently studying the constitutional and legal implications.
The Prime Minister revealed that he had briefed caretaker Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg about the decision during a meeting in Kuching.
The Election Commission (EC) will be tasked with determining new electoral boundaries to accommodate the additional seats.
“We will increase the number of seats, but the EC will decide on the new boundaries. As for achieving one-third representation – no, there’s no immediate commitment on that, but we are committed to adding more seats,” Anwar stated.
The seat increase won’t be limited to East Malaysia. Anwar noted that certain parliamentary constituencies in Peninsular Malaysia with voter populations reaching 400,000 also require boundary adjustments.
The Prime Minister emphasised the need to address the significant disparity between rural constituencies with smaller populations and high-density urban seats, ensuring more equitable representation across Parliament.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) had previously indicated that achieving one-third representation for Sabah and Sarawak would likely only occur after GE16.
In April, Fadillah explained that the proposal involved complex considerations and would require extensive discussions with Peninsular Malaysian MPs to secure their backing.
Presently, Peninsular Malaysia holds 75% of the 222 Dewan Rakyat seats. This distribution means constitutional amendments requiring a two-thirds majority can pass without support from Sabah and Sarawak representatives Instagram.
The most recent federal constituency redelineation exercise was conducted in 2006. Currently, Sabah holds 25 seats while Sarawak has 31, representing a combined 25% of total parliamentary seats.
The push for one-third representation stems from the historical context of MA63. When Singapore was part of Malaysia, the Bornean states’ combined representation provided them with effective veto power over constitutional amendments.
However, after Singapore’s exit in 1965, its 15 seats were not redistributed to Sabah and Sarawak, resulting in the loss of this crucial bargaining power.
The addition of parliamentary seats represents a key component of the federal government’s efforts to honour MA63 and strengthen the partnership between Peninsular Malaysia and the East Malaysian states.
