Prinsip 1/3 perwakilan bukan perkara boleh dirunding semula, tegas menteri Sarawak

Sarawak's Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah has firmly stated that the principle of 1/3 representation for Sabah and Sarawak in the Parliament cannot be rethought. This stance was emphasized by the Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who seeks to increase the number of parliamentary representatives from Sabah and Sarawak as a national agenda.

The Minister of Tourism, Creative Industries, and Heritage, Hamzah, clarified that this principle traces back to the agreement on forming Malaysia in 1963. According to the Report of the Inter-Governmental and Constitutional Committee, the seat distribution at that time was 2/3 for Malay Peninsula, 1/3 for Singapore, Sabah, and Sarawak, as reported by Utusan Borneo in a media briefing in Kuching.

In the 1963 constitution, the House of Representatives had 159 seats, with 104 allocated to Malay Peninsula, 16 to Sabah, 24 to Sarawak, and 15 to Singapore. The total seats held by Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore amounted to 55, which is less than 1/3 of the House seats. Hamzah noted that this distribution reflects the consensus and negotiations among the leaders involved in the formation of Malaysia.

Furthermore, the imbalance occurs after Singapore left Malaysia in 1965. The current composition of the House of Representatives, granting Semenanjung more than the majority of 2/3, theoretically allows for constitutional amendments related to the rights of Sabah and Sarawak to be passed without the support of representatives from both states.

This is the reason why maintaining 1/3 representation is essential, according to Hamzah. The statement followed Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's announcement on September 11 that the government agreed to amend the Constitution to allow for additional parliamentary representatives from Sabah and Sarawak. Anwar stated that any additional seat addition could include Semenanjung, but the main principle is that the ratio of seats for Sabah and Sarawak must be higher than the current standing.

This reflects the spirit of the 1963 Malaysia Agreement, which is what our founding fathers intended and should be viewed by the current generation of successors, including current leaders, stated Hamzah. Tags: Sabah seats in Parliament, Sarawak seats in Parliament, MA63, Anwar Ibrahim, Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Perlembagaan.