Hajiji Brings Sabah to Demand One Third Parliament Seats

When Malaysia was formed in September 1963, the four regions – Sabah; Sarawak; Singapore; and Malaya – agreed that Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore will have one-third of the seats in Parliament. The agreement was penned in the document known as Malaysia Agreement 1963, and the seats allocation is one of the cornerstone provisions of MA63. Singapore pulled out of Malaysia in 1964. Sabah and Sarawak argued that the parliamentary seats must be re-allocated to them. However, Malaya took the seats for itself, leaving the two regions of Sabah and Sarawak in anger. As years went by, the anger and unhappiness brew. Each succeeding Prime Ministers did not do anything about the issue, and it has become politically explosive. Sabah and Sarawak have a combined total of 56 seats – 25 per cent - in the 222 seat Parliament.

Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor, Chief Minister of Sabah; and Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (dr) Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari bin Tun Datuk Abang Haji Openg, Premier of Sarawak – have repeated Borneo’s demand for the seats. Both territories stand united for the one third share of Parliament seats. The matter was – again – discussed the in September 2024 at the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) Implementation Action Council in Kota Kinabalu, chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“We have looked, analysed and assessed our constituencies, where people live, and we have look at the ratio and balance. This is the process we go through whenever we introduce a new Parliamentary amendment, and how we make sure our interests are protected,” Hajiji said, on 1st October 2024 in Kota Kinabalu. “We are a big state. Along with Sarawak, we have discussed the matter at the highest levels, including the most recent meeting in September 2024 in Kota Kinabalu, and we will continue to engage with the federal government. This is one of the conditions enshrined in the MA63 document when Malaysia was formed, and we have made our intentions clear to the prime minister.”

Hajiji is on the right track. He is fighting for Sabah. The two territories must fight for the seats and fulfil the two-third requirements in the 222-seat Dewan Rakyat. Abang Johari Openg said that not giving Sabah and Sarawak their rightful one-third share is tantamount to nullifying the provisions of MA63. The additional seats would rightfully and correctly reflect Sabah’s and Sarawak’s place in Malaysia and the ratio balance ensures that the two Borneo regions hold veto power in the Dewan Rakyat.