Health Ministry seeks to close trauma care gaps between peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak

PAS spokesman Ahmad Fadhli Shaari has stated that the eastern Peninsular states need additional parliamentary seats like the East Coast, but not to the same extent as the West Coast during the 2004 general election. The Malay Mail reported that PAS agrees to amend the Constitution to open up additional parliamentary seats in Sabah and Sarawak, provided it is done fairly for all regions.

Fadhli explained that PAS supports the increase in parliamentary seats not only in Sabah and Sarawak but also in the mainland, particularly in the eastern states of Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pahang. More critically, eastern states or the 'Malay belt area' did not receive additional parliamentary seats during the 2004 general election, unlike the West Coast.

PAS has no objections to agreeing to an equal distribution of additional parliamentary seats through proper discussions, according to a statement on Facebook. Currently, Kelantan and Pahang each have 14 parliamentary seats, while Terengganu has 8. On Friday, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that the Constitution would be amended to open up additional parliamentary seats in Sabah and Sarawak, in line with the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

Fadhli said the additional seats are a sweet promise, but not practical in the current timeframe as the next general election (PRU16) is only a year away. Additional parliamentary seats are a good idea and practical, but they require a 2/3 majority in Parliament to amend the Constitution. Without a discussion for additional seats in many locations on the mainland, do you think it will pass easily? It's not a two-month job, he said.