Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has agreed in principle to explore increasing the number of parliamentary seats for Sabah and Sarawak, according to Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof. However, legal hurdles must be resolved before the proposal can advance, Fadillah noted.
Speaking in Kuching after a meeting of the technical committee on implementing the Malaysia Agreement 1963, Fadillah highlighted differing opinions between the state attorneys-general of Sabah and Sarawak and the federal attorney-general. “These legal issues need to be addressed first,” he said, adding that the matter would be presented to the Cabinet once clarified.
“The prime minister has indicated that the proposal can be considered in principle, but it requires further negotiations and a detailed study,” Fadillah was quoted as saying by the Borneo Post.
As parliamentary seat composition falls under federal jurisdiction, any changes would require approval by a two-thirds majority in Parliament. When asked whether Sarawak’s recent decision to expand its state assembly would influence the proposal, Fadillah explained that, following a policy decision, the Election Commission would conduct an independent study to determine the number and placement of new seats.
The proposal was one of four key issues discussed during the meeting, alongside judicial appointments, tourism, and environmental authority. Fadillah revealed that the government has agreed to amend the Federal Constitution to empower the governors of Sabah and Sarawak to approve judicial commissioner appointments in their respective states. Additionally, constitutional amendments to grant Sabah and Sarawak authority over scheduled waste management are slated for tabling in Parliament in December.
