By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Oct 2: Sabah and Sarawak must together hold at least 35 per cent of seats in the Dewan Rakyat to safeguard the federal balance of power and prevent unilateral domination by Peninsular Malaysia, says Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) Bukit Goram Division chairman Andy Lawrence.
He stressed that this was the original safeguard built into Malaysia’s parliamentary system at its formation, when Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore were collectively allocated 55 out of 159 seats, slightly more than one-third, to ensure the voices of the Borneo territories could not be overruled by Malaya alone.
“After Singapore’s exit in 1965, this protection was never properly restored.
“Reinstating the one-third principle is not just a matter of numbers. It is about preserving the spirit of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and ensuring a fair federation,” Andy said in a statement today.
He proposed that parliamentary seats be restructured to reflect that original intent, with 40 seats allocated to Sabah, 49 to Sarawak and 166 to Peninsular Malaysia, making a new total of 255 seats.
Andy, who is also the Kapit District Council (KDC) chairman, further argued that the common objection that such an allocation would violate the principle of “one person, one vote” fails to take into account Malaysia’s unique historical and structural context.
“That argument may sound neat in theory, but in practice it is ignorant of our history, our geography and our lived reality,” he said.
He pointed out that the “one person, one vote” concept only works in societies where citizens enjoy roughly equal access to infrastructure, education, healthcare and job opportunities—something Sabah and Sarawak have been denied for decades.
“For decades, federal planning and policy poured development into Peninsular Malaysia, especially the cities. Rural Sarawak and Sabah were left behind. Our young people had to migrate. Cities grew overcrowded while our longhouses and villages emptied out.
“If development had been more evenly spread, the migration pressure would be less and the representation debate today might not be so heated,” he added.
Andy also noted that the Federal Constitution itself acknowledges the special position of Sabah and Sarawak, citing the Thirteenth Schedule, Part I, paragraph 2(c), read together with Articles 116 and 117.
“The call for 35 per cent representation is not about political advantage. It is about fairness, constitutional balance, and recognising the historical commitments that were made when Malaysia was formed,” he emphasised. — DayakDaily
