By Dayangku Hidayatul
KUCHING, May 19: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) information chief Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah stresses that refusal to endorse Sarawak’s 17 new State seats is disrespecting the voice of the majority of Sarawak Legislative Assembly and the people of Sarawak.
Abdul Karim said instead of just endorsing these seats to pave the way for Sarawak’s impending election, debate in Parliament has been surrounding the parliamentary seats that may arise due to the creation of the 17 constituencies.
“Regarding the 17 seats, what needs to be done in Parliament is only endorsement. If it is not endorsed, it means the voice of the majority of the Sarawak Legislative Assembly and the people of Sarawak is not being respected.
“Instead, there has been debate in West Malaysia about parliamentary seats, but that is not the issue. Sarawak is not discussing parliamentary seats. That is for Parliament to decide, together with the Election Commission (EC),” said Abdul Karim, who is also Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts as well as Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development during a press conference on the sidelines of the Sarawak Legislative Assembly.
He explained that according to the Federal Constitution, re-delineation must be carried out every eight years, and Sarawak has exceeded the eight-year mandatory review period.
“What we want is endorsement of the 17 new State seats so they can be used in the upcoming State election. Parliamentary seats remain unchanged at 31,” said Abdul Karim, who is also Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) information chief and Asajaya assemblyman.
On the comment of the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said on parliamentary seats on March 3 that any increase in parliamentary seats for Sabah and Sarawak must be carefully studied given its wider implications for other states, Abdul Karim said such discussions typically are not made at that political level but are under the jurisdiction of the EC.
He further stated that what is required of the Parliament is simply the endorsement of decisions that have already been agreed upon by the Sarawak Legislative Assembly, and that failure to do so could be interpreted as not respecting the position and rights of Sarawak.
“This matter has already been endorsed by almost all elected representatives in the State Legislative Assembly, and that is how I see it,” he said. — DayakDaily
