SABAH opposition party Warisan has expressed support for the initiative by the ruling parties of both Sabah and Sarawak to secure one-third representation in Parliament.
The top leaders from both states have already conveyed their desire to Putrajaya to restore the ratio, which was lost after Singapore’s departure from Malaysia, during discussions in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) implementation committee.
Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal told reporters today that it is time for an increase in parliamentary constituencies, as by convention, they can be redelineated every 10 years.
Shafie recalled that there has only been one instance where the number of parliamentary seats in Sabah and Sarawak has increased since the formation of Malaysia in 1963.
He cited the redelineation of the Kalabakan seat, which created the Tawau parliamentary constituency.
“The one-third parliamentary representation from Sabah and Sarawak is derived from MA63.
“Today, some parliamentary constituencies, such as Sepanggar, Kalabakan, and Lahad Datu, contain four state constituencies.
“These are vast areas, some larger than states in Peninsular Malaysia, making it difficult for one MP to manage their constituents effectively,” he said after hosting a luncheon with the media practitioners in Kota Kinabalu today.
Shafie added that increasing the number of MPs from Sabah and Sarawak would give these regions a stronger voice in Parliament, enabling them to address East Malaysia’s issues more effectively than state assemblymen.
He noted that although the number of state assemblymen in Sabah has increased from 60 to 73, they are limited to speaking for only five minutes in the state assembly when making their cases.
“I fully agree with Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg and Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor on this matter.
“I will give my full support if it is brought to Parliament,” Shafie said.
Speaking on the upcoming state election, Shafie said that Warisan aims to recapture all the state seats it won in previous elections, including those held by defectors.
The party had seen the gradual exodus of its assemblymen to support the ruling Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) alliance following the 2020 Sabah election, with concerns that their constituents would not benefit from state development and aid.
Warisan’s representation has since dwindled from 29 assemblymen to 16.
Shafie also said that forming alliances with other parties is now an option, but noted that Sabah has a political history of single-party rule, as seen with PBS, Berjaya, and Usno in the past.
“This shows that the people of Sabah have previously voted for single-party rule. Sabah has already experienced this,” said Shafie, indicating such effort can be a reality if the state voters are determined to realise the single-party rule again. – Oct 2, 2024
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