By Ling Hui
KUCHING, Sept 16: Though the size of parliamentary representation for Sarawak and Sabah was not explicitly expressed in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) Report 1962 has assured that the interests of these territories are to be protected at all times, says Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
And according to that, he asserted, parliamentary representation in Sarawak and Sabah in the Federation of Malaysia cannot be reduced and must be proportionate.
Abang Johari was saying this in response to the Federal government’s recent endorsement to restore Sarawak and Sabah’s fair share of 35 per cent parliamentary seats.
“We in Sarawak and Sabah have to ensure that our rights and privileges are always protected and safeguarded in Parliament and that the wants of some Federal leaders are not imposed or lorded over us to our detriment and loss.
“Some of our rights have been eroded in the last 59 years because we did not have the power to effectively object in Parliament to laws that were either unintentionally or purposely enacted to infringe our rights.
“We only want our rights back, no more no less,” he said when delivering his speech at the 2022 Sarawak-level Malaysia Day celebration in Bintulu today.
The grand celebration at Lasar Kenyalang was graced by Sarawak Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud and wife Toh Puan Datuk Patinggi Raghad Kurdi Taib.
Other dignitaries who were also present were Deputy Premiers Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian, Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Speaker Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar, Minister of Modernisation of Agriculture and Regional Development Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, and Sarawak State Secretary Dato Sri Mohammad Abu Bakar Marzuki. — DayakDaily
