Bukan hanya Sabah, Sarawak, Pantai Timur juga perlu tambah kerusi Parlimen, kata Fadhli

PAS spokesman Ahmad Fadhli Shaari has stated that the Eastern Peninsula (Pantai Timur) states do not receive additional parliamentary seats as the West Peninsula (Pantai Barat) did during the last general election (PRU 2004). PAS agrees to amend the Constitution to open up space for additional parliamentary seats in Sabah and Sarawak if it is done fairly for all, Fadhli said. PAS is fine with additional parliamentary seats being added for all, provided there is a proper discussion, he said in a Facebook statement.

However, Fadhli noted that while Kelantan and Pahang each have 14 parliamentary seats, Terengganu has only 8. On Friday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the Constitution would be changed to open up space for additional parliamentary seats in Sabah and Sarawak, in line with the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63). He said the addition is needed to ensure the representation ratio for Sabah and Sarawak increases relative to the current situation.

While Sabah has 25 parliamentary constituencies, Sarawak has 31. However, Fadhli said that the additional parliamentary seats are a sweet promise but not practical at the present time because the PRU16 will be held in just a year's time. Additional parliamentary seats are a good thing and practical, but they require a change in the Constitution with a 2/3 majority vote in Parliament.

Without a discussion on additional seats in many locations on the mainland, do you think it will pass easily? It's not that simple, he said.