KUCHING, Sept 9: Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) views the increment of parliamentary seats in Sarawak and Sabah to 35 per cent decision as an ‘election carrot’ to lure voters, and should be turned down by the Sarawak government.
According to its president Voon Lee Shan, the announcement of the increment of parliamentary seats to 35 per cent in Parliament “is not something that we should be happy with”.
He said the increment of seats will not help Sabah and Sarawak overturn any laws and policies passed by Parliament and the Federal Cabinet.
“The Sarawak government should reject the proposal made by the prime minister,” said Voon in a statement today.
Describing the proposal as an ‘election carrot’, Voon claimed that it was an effort to fish for votes by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri to support the latter’s government.
“As it is at the moment, we can see Sarawak and Sabah are still being shortchanged.
“With political parties from Malaya setting foot here, the voice of Sabah and Sarawak became dimmer and dimmer over the years,” said Voon.
He held that Sarawak and Sabah were promised equal partnership before Malaysia was formed. But for 59 years, the two Borneo States have been shortchanged by the Federal government.
“At the moment, Sabah has 25 and Sarawak has 31 seats in Parliament.
“Their combined strength could not overturn any laws and policies passed by Parliament and the Federal Cabinet.
“Besides Malaya controlling Parliament, the Cabinet is also controlled by Malaya. Most cabinet ministers are from Malaya. Ministers from Sabah and Sarawak are only holding the less important posts,” said Voon.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili announced yesterday that the fifth meeting of the Special Council, which was chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob in Putrajaya, had agreed to honour the MA63 and IGC reports by allowing Sarawak and Sabah to hold 35 per cent of the parliamentary seats.
Currently, Peninsular Malaysian states hold a total of 166 seats (75 per cent), while Sarawak (31 seats) and Sabah (25) only make up the rest of 56 seats out of the total 222 seats.
In 1963, Sabah had 16 seats, Sarawak (24) and Singapore (15), representing 35 per cent of the overall 159 parliamentary seats, while the remaining 65 per cent or 104 seats were Malaya’s.
When Singapore left Malaysia in 1965, the seats belonging to Singapore should have been given to Sabah and Sarawak to meet the 35 per cent representation, but Peninsular Malaysia claimed all the seats. — DayakDaily
