{
  "id": 9143323,
  "title": "Sabah, Sarawak Affairs Division begins talks with EC on increasing parliamentary seats",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/sabah-sarawak-affairs-division-begins-talks-with-ec-on-increasing",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-22T13:00:39.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Borneo Post Online",
    "slug": "borneo-post-online",
    "url": "https://www.theborneopost.com/2026/09/22/sabah-sarawak-affairs-division-begins-talks-with-ec-on-increasing-parliamentary-seats/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "KOTA KINABALU (Sept 22): The Sabah and Sarawak Affairs Division (BHESS) has commenced talks with the Election Commission (EC) regarding a proposed increase in parliamentary seats for both states, according to Datuk Mustapha Sakmud. The minister, who led a BHESS delegation to EC chairman Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun in Putrajaya, indicated that the matter had been discussed during the Malaysia Agreement 1963 Implementation Action Council (MTPMA63) meeting on Sept 11. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had stated that there was merit to expanding Sabah and Sarawak's parliamentary representation, contingent on further conversations with the EC. Presently, the two states hold 56 out of the 222 Dewan Rakyat seats, representing approximately 25 percent of the total. The proposal aims to elevate their combined share to 35 percent. During the discussions, various aspects like constitutional, legal, and technical considerations, electoral constituency delimitation, necessary data, and arrangements for collaboration among the government, EC, and other stakeholders were deliberated upon. Mustapha emphasized that the proposal is not merely about augmenting the number of seats, but also about enhancing Sabah and Sarawak's representation and voice in Parliament, aligning with the original intent of Malaysia's formation and the execution of the Malaysia Agreement 1963. The BHESS pledged to collaborate with the EC to ensure that any subsequent actions are executed smoothly, in line with the Federal Constitution and relevant laws, while honoring the commission's authority.",
  "summary": "KOTA KINABALU (Sept 22): The Sabah and Sarawak Affairs Division (BHESS) has begun discussions with the Election Commission (EC) on the proposed increase in parliamentary seats for the two states. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak) Datuk Mustapha Sakmud said he led a BHESS delegation on a courtesy visit to EC chairman [...] The post Sabah, Sarawak Affairs Division…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}