Sarawak government to decide state’s status in Malaysia
KUCHING: The state government will have to decide whether Sarawak is to be referred to as state or region in the Federation of Malaysia.
This follows the consent by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah to the Constitution (Amendment) Act 2022 (Act A1642) effective Friday.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said this during a press conference at his Santubong Parliament Service Centre here yesterday.
Asked on how Sarawak would term itself within the Federation of Malaysia, Wan Junaidi stated that it was for the state to decide.
“What’s important is that our status is already part of the Constitution, we can demand for all the rights written in the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) report.
“So, it is up to Sarawak to make the decision whether to be called a state or region,” he said.
Wan Junaidi asserted that Sarawak would continue to fight for one third of the total 222 seats in Parliament to be allocated to the Borneo states.
He said this was one of the focuses following Sabah and Sarawak’s recognition as equal partners with Peninsular Malaysia in light of the amendment to clause (2) of Article 1 and clause (2) of Article 160 of the Federal Constitution.
He pointed out that Sabah and Sarawak currently hold only 24 per cent of seats in Parliament.
“In 1963, Federation of Malaya held 145 seats while Sarawak (24), Sabah (16) and Singapore (15). The total percentage of seat for Sarawak, Sabah and Singapore was approximately 34.4 per cent then.
“However, when Singapore exited in 1965 the 15 seats it held was given to Peninsular Malaysia instead of Sarawak and Sabah,” he explained.
Wan Junaidi who is also Santubong MP assured that Sarawak would claim for more parliamentary seats as Sabah and Sarawak should retain one third of the 222 seat allocation.
He said by recognising the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) in the Federal Constitution, the government could refer to pledges made in 1963 in detail and as stated in the IGC report, an in-depth study of the Cobbold Commission.
