Upko calls for East Malaysia to be given one-third Dewan Rakyat seats

Upko president Ewon Benedick has made a call for a full one-third of Malaysia's parliamentary seats to be allocated to Sabah and Sarawak, which have about a quarter of Dewan Rakyat representatives.

According to Borneo Post, he claimed that this would ensure a better political balance between the Borneo region and the peninsular.

“Our demand is that one-third of the total number of parliamentary seats should be allocated to Sabah and Sarawak.

“We want one-third not only in relation to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 but also to ensure a balance between the Borneo region, which includes Sabah and Sarawak, and the peninsular consisting of the states of Peninsula Malaysia,” he said while launching the Putatan Upko division.

He said that the Borneo region could serve as a counterbalance for more moderate politics, compared to peninsular politicians who often raised divisive issues of race and religion.

At present, Sabah has 25 and Sarawak has 31, with the Federal Territory of Labuan providing an additional seat. This makes for a combined total of 57 out of 222 seats, which is just over a quarter.

To make it one-third as per Upko's call, this number would need to increase to 74 out of the present 222 seats.

In the 2020 census, the combined population of East Malaysia was estimated at 6.8 million, making it approximately 21 percent of the nation's total population of 33.4 million.

Ewon said he wanted to raise the matter in the upcoming meeting of the MA63 Technical Committee and would consult other parties such as Upko's election bureau on the matter.

“We will also discuss the list of new delineation areas with the chief minister of Sabah. I believe the parties in Sabah and Sarawak are looking into this matter, and we still have room to raise this issue on various platforms, including the media, Dewan Rakyat, the Senate, the MA63 Implementation Technical Committee and the Special Council of MATPMA63,” he said.

Redelineation exercises can only be done no less than eight years after the last exercise. For Sarawak, a new delineation can begin this year.

For Sabah, it would be in 2025 and for Peninsula Malaysia, 2026. - Mkini