TAMBUNAN: The coordinator of PGRS DUN Tambunan, Datuk Victor P. Paut, expressed his hope that the announcement on the increase in parliamentary seats for Sabah and Sarawak is not merely a gimmick, but rather leads to real actions and implementations.
He stated that this announcement is a development eagerly awaited by the people of Sabah and Sarawak, especially after a long-standing demand concerning the status of both regions within the Federation.
He emphasized that the increase in parliamentary seats should be viewed in light of the historical context of Malaysia’s formation and the spirit of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), which serves as the foundation for the positions of Sabah and Sarawak in the country.
“This is an announcement we have been waiting for.
“In fact, if we examine the history of MA63, when Singapore was removed from Malaysia in 1965, the quota for Singapore should have been redistributed to Sabah and Sarawak.
“This is because one-third of those seats were allocated for Sabah and Sarawak, while another third was held by Singapore,” he said when met after officiating the Smart Agriculture Course organized by Sawit Kinabalu here on Saturday.
Further commenting, Victor stated that after Singapore’s exit from Malaysia, the issue of redistributing those seats should be given attention to ensure that the representation of Sabah and Sarawak in Parliament more accurately reflects the historical formation of Malaysia.
He stressed that waiting for over six decades for this development indicates that this matter is not a new demand, but rather an issue that has long been a concern for the people of Sabah and Sarawak.
At the same time, he mentioned that the people of Sabah do not want this announcement to end up as just a political statement without clear follow-up actions.
“It is high time, after approximately 61 years, that we await this moment.
“We hope it is not just a promise; we want it to be implemented.
“This is what the people of Sabah have been waiting for, and let’s not forget our demand for 40 percent.
“We also do not want this to be just a gimmick, and we hope that PMX (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) will fulfill his promise because it is not just what we want; all the people of Sabah want this, as it is part of MA63,” he said.
In this regard, Victor, who is also the Deputy Chairman of Sawit Kinabalu and Borneo Samudera, is confident that the implementation of the additional parliamentary seats will ensure that the voices of Sabah and Sarawak are appropriately represented in the decision-making process at the federal level.
