SABAH and Sarawak’s pursuit of a 35% seat representation in the Dewan Rakyat has reached the policy decision stage, the Sarawak legislative assembly was told today. 

Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Department (Law, State-Federal Relations and Project Monitoring) Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali told the assembly that the working committee – formed on January 20 at the first meeting of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) Implementation Action Council and chaired by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Legal and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman – was to obtain a policy decision. 

Hasidah said the policy decision was required since the matter would involve amendments to the federal constitution. To date, there is still no outcome. 

She said Sarawak “will continue to pursue this matter to ensure a representation in parliament that is in line with the original spirit and purpose of the formation of Malaysia and the MA63”. 

In replying to a question from Batu Kitang assemblyman Lo Khere Chiang (GPS–SUPP), Hasidah said this was also made known to Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusoff who oversees all matters relating to the implementation of MA63 for the state. 

Sarawak’s request for increased representation was first made to the previous Perikatan Nasional (PN) federal government. 

“This matter was, back then, presented to the MA63 special committee during its meeting on September 8, 2022,” Hasidah said. 

She told the assembly that the meeting resolved that the then minister in the prime minister’s department (parliament and law), Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, would bring up the proposal to the federal cabinet. 

She said before Wan Junaidi could do that, parliament was dissolved on Oct 10, 2022 to make way for the last general election. 

Hasidah said the increase of seats in parliament could be done either by way of amendment to Article 46 of the federal constitution or by way of a delineation review pursuant to Article 113 of the Federal Constitution. 

She said under Article 113, the Election Commission shall – from time to time as they deem necessary – review the division of the federal and the state’s electoral constituencies. 

The review interval, she added, should not be less than eight years between the dates of completion of each review. 

The last electoral boundary re-delineation exercise in Sarawak was in 2015 and the next review should therefore be this year. – May 18, 2023.