Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Supreme Council Member and Vice Youth Chief lawyer Yong Yit Jee challenged Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to state whether the Federal Government supports a guaranteed 35pc combined parliamentary share for Sabah and Sarawak.
“The Prime Minister announced an in-principle seat increase. Election Commission (EC) Chairman Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun later said the EC would review constituencies nationwide and that Sabah and Sarawak’s ratio would rise.
“Neither statement committed the Federal Government to 35pc. More seats do not necessarily mean 35pc,” Yit Jee said.
Sabah and Sarawak hold 56 of 222 Dewan Rakyat seats, or merely 25.2pc. If that rises to only 26pc, it is also technically an ‘increase’. But 0.8 percentage points is not restoration.
“If peninsular seats also increase, Borneo’s share would barely change despite new seats. The final percentage, not raw additions, must be the test,” he said.
Yit Jee noted that at Malaysia’s formation, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore jointly held 55 of 159 seats, or 34.6pc, leaving Malaya below two-thirds.
“Increase and restoration are not interchangeable. 35% concerns constitutional balance, not political positions.
“The EC draws boundaries; Cabinet and Parliament must set the constitutional objective.
“PMX must answer: does his Government support 35pc, yes or no? He should table a Government motion affirming 35pc and preventing future dilution.
“Let every MP record a vote. After the EC study, table the constitutional amendment giving it legal effect.”Yit Jee said Sabah’s 40pc tax revenue entitlement issue showed why in-principle assurances were insufficient.
“The 40% is expressly written into Article 112C and the Tenth Schedule of the Federal Constitution, yet its implementation required court proceedings and aspects of the High Court judgment remain under appeal.
“The Federal Government says it is not appealing the formula itself. But if even a written constitutional entitlement can be dragged out, an announcement without a number, vote or Bill offers even less protection.
“Do not send 35pc into another endless study. Put it before Parliament and let Malaysia see who truly supports it.”