SARAWAK and Sabah must secure at least 74 parliamentary seats or more to obtain veto power to safeguard their constitutional rights, which could otherwise be compromised, said Datuk Lo Khere Chiang (GPS-Batu Kitang).
Currently, the two Borneo states hold only 56 seats, which accounts for less than one third of the total 222 parliamentary seats.
“We would like to reiterate our strong support for the proposal to reserve 35 percent of parliamentary seats for Sabah and Sarawak, in accordance with the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
“The federal government must respect the position of Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners in the formation of Malaysia, and not as states of the Malaya federation.
“Therefore the seats belonging to Singapore should be returned to Sabah and Sarawak,” he said
during his debate in support of the Supply Bill 2025 here yesterday (Nov 13).
He added that the recent discussions in the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) have shown that no concrete decision has been made on increasing representation, despite talks in recent years.
“The Deputy Prime Minister suggests it may take two to three years to resolve, but progress has been excruciatingly slow. Action is needed, not just promises, this is urgent,” he said.
He also said that a concerning proposal from some West Malaysian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) suggests increasing Senate seats for Sarawak and Sabah instead of parliamentary seats.
“This cannot be accepted, as it does not provide the veto power needed to protect our interests.
“We all know that the key decisions are made in the Lower House, not the Senate. We must firmly reject this proposal,” he said.
