PETALING JAYA: DAP’s Dr Kelvin Yii has called for the Government to immediately fulfil the restoration of 35pc of the 222 parliamentary seats to Sabah and Sarawak.
This follows a meeting of the Special Council on the Malaysia Agreement (MKMA63) on Thursday, endorsing the 35pc parliamentary seat allocation for the two states.
“This must be implemented as soon as possible and not be a mere promise before the next general election (GE15),” the Bandar Kuching MP said.
He said the additional seats must be drawn out from constituencies with a large population, especially those in urban areas, to ensure fairness and avoid gerrymandering.
“As a result of the considerable differences in constituency size, the value of votes is not equal across constituencies.”
He cited the vast difference between his Bandar Kuching constituency having more than 130,000 voters against the Batang Sadong seat with only 23,000 voters. “That means one vote in Batang Sadong is worth about six votes in Bandar Kuching.”
Yii also wants extensive public consultation to be carried out before any decision is made on the boundaries for the new constituencies.
He said it must follow international standards instead of serving the interest of those in power.
On Thursday, Sabah and Sarawak Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili said the issue was deliberated and endorsed at the fifth meeting of the special council chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob in Putrajaya.
With this endorsement by the council, Sabah and Sarawak will be able to push for 78 of the 222 parliamentary seats.
Based on the current calculation, of the 222 parliamentary seats, 166, or 75pc, are in peninsular Malaysia while the remaining 25pc, or 56 seats, are in Sarawak (31) and Sabah (25).
Ongkili, who is also Kota Marudu MP, said MPs from Sabah and Sarawak had demanded a review of the number of parliamentary seats for both states.
Ongkili added that the ultimate task was to convince the Election Commission but he stressed that the issue should be pushed because it was another restoration in accordance with the MA63.
Earlier Friday, Ismail said the Government will discuss the matter of increasing the representation from Sabah and Sarawak following Thursday’s meeting, which was also attended by Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg and Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
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