PAKATAN Harapan’s United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko) said the call for more than one-third of seats in the Dewan Rakyat was not solely about population, but historical safeguards promised when Malaysia was formed in 1963.
Upko Secretary-General Senator Datuk Nelson Anggang urged critics to understand that the call for 35% representation for the Borneo states is based on the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), not just mere electoral logic.
“This isn’t about population numbers. It’s about honouring the agreements made in 1963 when Sabah and Sarawak joined Malaysia,” Anggang said in a statement in Kota Kinabalu today.
He pointed out that constituency sizes in Malaysia vary widely, citing Seputeh with 124,805 voters compared to Putrajaya with 42,881, according to Election Commission 2022 data.
Anggang emphasised that the Cobbold Commission, which paved the way for Malaysia’s formation, recommended that federal representation consider geographical size and distance from the centre, not just population.
He also highlighted concerns raised by Sarawak Premier Abang Johari Openg, who warned that constitutional amendments could erode the rights of Sabah and Sarawak, referencing the 1994 amendment that removed their governors' power to appoint judicial commissioners.
“The call for one-third representation is about protecting the foundation of the federation, not about trust or technicalities. MA63 is the cornerstone of Malaysia, and its promises must be upheld,” Anggang said, adding that the current government is making progress in resolving issues under the MA63 technical committee.
Both Sabah and Sarawak governments have asserted its desire to have a third representation in the Dewan Rakyat to Putrajaya in the MA63 implementation committee led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
This comes after the MA63 technical committee led by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof from Sarawak have met twice to deliberate on the matter at the senior public officer level.
The main opposition party in Sabah, Warisan has also expressed support for the initiative. Other component parties in Sabah PH appeared to have distanced themselves from the matter.
Several non-governmental organisations have spoken against this, with groups like Bersih, Tindak Malaysia, Rise of Social Efforts, and ENGAGE proposed the veto power for East Malaysia in the Senate as a way to realise the spirit of the 1963 Malaysia Agreement. - October 6, 2024
