Kota Kinabalu: Increasing parliamentary representation for Sabah and Sarawak is in line with the spirit of restoring balance to the power-sharing arrangement of the Malaysian Federation, said Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Chan Foong Hin.
Chan, who is also Kota Kinabalu Member of Parliament, welcomed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s announcement that the Federal Government had agreed in principle to increase not only the number but also the proportion of parliamentary seats allocated to Sabah and Sarawak.
He said the move was important in strengthening the position of both states within the Federation while preserving the principles underpinning Malaysia’s formation.
“When Malaysia was formed in 1963, Malaya held 104 out of 159 parliamentary seats, while Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore collectively held 55 seats. This meant that Malaya alone did not command the two-thirds majority required for major constitutional amendments.
“That historical arrangement provided an important constitutional safeguard. While circumstances have changed since Singapore left Malaysia, I believe the principle behind that safeguard remains relevant today,” he said in a statement, Friday.
Chan said the matter was particularly important amid an increasingly polarised political climate, adding that a future scenario where a coalition overwhelmingly dominant in Peninsular Malaysia secures a two-thirds parliamentary majority could not be ruled out.
“Sabah and Sarawak therefore need sufficient parliamentary representation to serve as an effective constitutional safeguard against any attempt by a temporary political majority to unilaterally alter the fundamental character of our Federation,” he said.
He said Sabah and Sarawak had historically represented some of Malaysia’s strongest traditions of multiculturalism, religious moderation and coexistence.
According to Chan, the discussion on restoring approximately one-third representation for Sabah and Sarawak therefore deserved serious consideration.
Chan described the Prime Minister’s announcement as a momentous first step, adding that the next stage should involve serious discussions among the Federal Government, the Sabah and Sarawak governments, the Election Commission and all political stakeholders.
Earlier, Prime Minister said the Government had agreed to increase the proportion of parliamentary representation for Sabah and Sarawak beyond the current level, in line with the spirit of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
Speaking to reporters after chairing the 2026 Malaysia Agreement 1963 Implementation Action Council (MTPMA63) meeting here, Anwar said the move would require a constitutional amendment to increase the representation of MPs from the two states.
