KUALA LUMPUR: Sabah and Sarawak members of parliament have been called to look into the possibility of claiming the share of seats held previously by Singapore before the latter left Malaysia in 1965.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili said if successful, Sabah and Sarawak would own a share of 35 per cent parliamentary seats.
"In 1963, Sabah had 16 seats, Sarawak had 24 and Singapore held 15, thus representing 35 per cent from the then 159 parliamentary seats. The remaining 65 per cent or 104 seats were Malaya (peninsula).
"Malaya did not possess the two-third majority then. But when Singapore left Malaysia in 1965, the seats belonging to Singapore should have been given to Sabah and Sarawak, to maintain the 35 per cent representation," Ongkili said in a statement.
Ongkili said of late, lawmakers from Sabah and Sarawak had demanded for a review on the number of parliamentary seats for both states.
"I would like to suggest for all Sabah and Sarawak MPs to discuss this demand openly and orderly, and decisions be taken up with Election Commission for further action," he said,
The Kota Marudu MP said the proposed "restoration" of seats has been endorsed by the Parliamentary Select Committee in 2012 which he had chaired.
He added that his ministry would engage with Sabah and Sarawak MPs to discuss the matter further, while the demand should also be tabled in the Sabah and Sarawak legislative assemblies.
"The ultimate task is to convince the EC of the need to restore the original proportion of MP seats for Sabah and Sarawak in accordance with the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63)," Ongkili stressed.
Based on the current calculation, of the 222 parliamentary seats, 166 or 75 per cent are in Peninsula Malaysia while the remaining 25 per cent or 56 seats are for the Borneo states.