SABAH and Sarawak could secure up to 35 per cent of seats in the Dewan Rakyat under a proposal endorsed in principle by the Cabinet to increase parliamentary representation for the two states.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the agreement was reached at a Cabinet meeting following an announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Sept 11.
She said the proposal had been referred to the Election Commission (EC) to begin consultations, but any increase would remain subject to further examination and the relevant constitutional processes.
"The matter is subject to further scrutiny, taking into account the spirit and demands of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), as well as matters agreed between the Federal Government and the Sabah and Sarawak governments," she said in a written parliamentary reply.
Azalina said the composition of the Dewan Rakyat was determined by Parliament through amendments to Article 46 of the Federal Constitution.
The EC had been given two years to complete its review, starting from the publication of the relevant notice under Section 4 of the 13th Schedule of the Constitution, until submission of its final report to the Prime Minister under Clause 10 of Article 113.
She stressed that the proposal did not mean the additional seats or implementation date had been finalised.
Azalina was responding to a question from Kudat MP Datuk Verdon Bahanda on the government's plans to raise Sabah and Sarawak's representation to at least 35 per cent, or one-third, of the total seats in the Dewan Rakyat, including the proposed legal amendments and implementation timeline.
The issue was also raised by Ranau MP Datuk Jonathan Yasin, who urged the government to expedite efforts to increase representation for the two states to strengthen their voice in Parliament and safeguard their constitutional rights.
Any change to the number of parliamentary seats would require the necessary constitutional amendments and parliamentary approval before it could take effect. - October 30, 2026
