KOTA KINABALU: The number of parliamentary seats for Sabah and Sarawak to account for 35% of the total number nationwide, decided when Malaysia was formed 59 years ago, must be restored, says Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili.

       The Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) said the Election Commission (EC) must be convinced of the need to restore the proportion of parliamentary seats for the Borneo states in accordance with the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

       Justifying the call, the Kota Marudu MP said lawmakers from the Borneo states had recently demanded a review of parliamentary seat composition.

       “In 1963, Sabah had 16 seats, Sarawak 24 and Singapore 15, representing 35% of the overall 159 parliamentary seats, while the remaining 65% (104 seats) were in Malaya, which did not possess a two-thirds majority then.

       “But when Singapore left Malaysia in 1965, the seats belonging to it should have been given to Sabah and Sarawak to maintain 35% representation," he said in a statement on Friday (March 18), adding that he also touched on this in his ministerial winding-up speech in Parliament the day before.

       He said back in 2012, this proposal to restore the percentage had been endorsed by the Parliamentary Select Committee which he chaired at the time.

       “I suggest all Sabah and Sarawak MPs discuss this demand openly and in an orderly way, so decisions can be forwarded to the EC for further action.

       “At the same time, on my side, the Sabah and Sarawak Affairs Division will engage with these MPs to discuss the matter.

       "It was suggested that (this request) should also be tabled in the Sabah and Sarawak legislative assemblies,” he added.

       Out of the current 222 parliamentary seats, 166 or 75% are in Peninsular Malaysia while the remaining 25% or 56 seats are in the Borneo states, with Sarawak having 31 and Sabah, 25.