GE16 forecast shows why Sabah, S’wak need a third of seats, says SUPP man

Kelvin Hii, SUPP Youth vice-chairman, has warned that Sarawak and Sabah should not be overlooked in the upcoming general election (GE16) due to their lack of influence in forming a government. A pollster's projection suggests that a Barisan Nasional-Perikatan Nasional (BN-PN) alliance could secure up to 122 parliamentary seats in West Malaysia without the backing of parties in Sabah and Sarawak, reported Borneo Post.

Hii stressed that such a scenario would be a wake-up call for East Malaysia, as it would potentially sideline their interests and rights. He further emphasized that a third of Dewan Rakyat seats should be allocated to Sabah and Sarawak to ensure their concerns are addressed regardless of the ruling party in Putrajaya. Currently, Sarawak and Sabah hold only 56 of the 222 parliamentary seats, which amounts to around 25% of the total.

The SUPP Youth leader was addressing a projection by Ilham Centre that in GE16, the BN-PN alliance could dominate 122 parliamentary seats in West Malaysia alone, surpassing the threshold for a simple majority at 121 seats. Hii reiterated that Sabah and Sarawak were equal partners in Malaysia's formation and must be treated with the respect they deserve, echoing the sentiments of Sarawak premier Abang Johari Openg.

He argued that allocating a third of the seats in the Dewan Rakyat to East Malaysia would prevent any federal government from undermining the provisions of the Malaysia Agreement 1963, which originally granted the two Bornean states their veto power. However, this redistribution has not yet occurred following Singapore's withdrawal from Malaysia.