By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Sept 17: There should be no “runding-runding” or negotiation over the one-third parliamentary seat ratio for Sabah and Sarawak, says Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
The Sarawak Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister said the ratio stemmed from the arrangement when Malaysia was formed in 1963, with Malaya holding two-thirds of the parliamentary seats while Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak collectively held one-third.
“There’s no ground for runding-runding when it comes to two-thirds and one-third,” he told reporters when met here today.
Abdul Karim who is also Sarawak Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Minister and Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Information chief, further said the arrangement was reflected in the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) Report and the Federal Constitution, although the one-third ratio was not specifically codified in a single document.
He said the disparity began after Singapore left Malaysia in 1965, when the 15 parliamentary seats previously allocated to Singapore were redistributed to Peninsular Malaysia.
Abdul Karim said maintaining the one-third representation was important because a two-thirds parliamentary majority is required to amend key provisions of the Federal Constitution, including those relating to the rights of Malays in Peninsular Malaysia and indigenous peoples in Sabah and Sarawak.
“When West Malaysia has got more than two-thirds, hypothetically, they can bulldoze and take away the rights of Sabah and Sarawak inside the Federal Constitution.
“That is why we want that one-third to be still preserved,” he said.
His remarks followed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s Malaysia Day speech in Kuching last night (Sept 16), in which he said the federal government had agreed in principle to increase parliamentary representation for Sabah and Sarawak.
Anwar, however, did not specify a figure for the increase.
Abdul Karim said he welcomed the Prime Minister’s decision to frame the issue as a national agenda rather than one pursued solely by MPs from Sabah and Sarawak.
“Not a matter to be only looked upon by MPs or those from Sabah and Sarawak demanding. They should look at it as something which is bigger. That is what our forefathers wanted it to be,” he said.
He said current leaders should view the matter from the perspective of those who negotiated the formation of Malaysia and the generations that followed.
“So, that’s why it’s very good for the Prime Minister looking at it and addressing it as a national agenda, which should be looked upon now. We’ll try to move towards that,” he said. — DayakDaily
