Kuala Lumpur: Sabah and Sarawak are set to see increased representation in the Dewan Rakyat after the Federal Government agreed in principle to increase the number of MPs from the two States, subject to the constitutional process.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the Cabinet had agreed in principle on Sept 11 to increase parliamentary representation from Sabah and Sarawak by taking into account their representation ratio compared with the current position.
The matter has since been referred to the Election Commission (EC) to begin consultations, but the actual increase in seats remains subject to the relevant constitutional procedures.
The issue was raised in the Dewan Rakyat by Ranau MP Datuk Jonathan Yasin, who asked the Prime Minister to expedite the increase in parliamentary constituencies in Sabah and Sarawak to strengthen their representation and safeguard their constitutional rights.
In her written reply, Azalina said the review of existing electoral constituencies could only be conducted after the expiry of an eight-year period, unless there was a change in legislation concerning the composition of the Dewan Rakyat or State Legislative Assemblies.
She said the number of parliamentary seats was determined by Parliament through an amendment to Article 46 of the Federal Constitution.
Any amendment to the composition of the Dewan Rakyat would therefore have to go through the constitutional mechanism, including the required parliamentary approval.
Azalina said the EC had been given two years to complete a constituency review, beginning from the publication of the relevant notice until the final report was submitted to the Prime Minister.
She added that the proposal to increase Sabah and Sarawak’s representation remained subject to further consideration, taking into account the spirit and demands of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), as well as matters already agreed between the Federal Government and the two State Governments.
However, no specific target number of additional seats or firm implementation date has been announced so far.
Jonathan had called for the Federal Government to move more quickly on the issue, arguing that stronger parliamentary representation was important to ensure the rights of Sabah and Sarawak under the Federal Constitution were adequately protected.
The Ranau MP has previously raised issues concerning Sabah’s development allocation and constitutional rights in Parliament, including the State’s claim to the 40 per cent net revenue entitlement.
During a recent parliamentary debate, Jonathan also urged the Government to provide greater clarity on allocations channelled directly to Sabah, noting the difference between funds allocated to the State Government and those spent through Federal agencies operating in Sabah.
The latest response, however, places the question of additional parliamentary seats within a formal constitutional framework, with any change requiring the relevant parliamentary and electoral processes to be completed.
For Sabah and Sarawak, the development marks movement on a long-standing issue of parliamentary representation, although the eventual number of additional seats and the timeline for implementation remain to be determined.
The Government’s in-principle decision therefore opens the way for further discussions between the relevant authorities, while the EC and Parliament will have roles to play before any increase in the number of Dewan Rakyat seats can take effect.
