PSC report touches Sabah, Sarawak seat allocation

KOTA KINABALU: The final report of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on Electoral Reforms tabled by Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili in the Dewan Rakyat today touches on the issue concerning parliamentary seat allocation for Sabah and Sarawak.

Ongkili, the PSC chairman, said the committee took note of the proposal for a balance in the number of Dewan Rakyat seats between the peninsula, and Sabah and Sarawak, as spelled out in the Inter-Government Committee (IGC) report during the formation of Malaysia in 1963.

The document stated that Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore would have 34 per cent of the Dewan Rakyat seats for that term, Ongkili said when tabling the report in the Dewan Rakyat today.

His text of speech was made available here.

Ongkili, who is Science, Technology and Innovation Minister, said the recommendation was to ensure that a balanced power could be used by any representative of Sabah and Sarawak to ensure the voice and interest of both states were safeguarded.

In this regard, the PSC recommended that a detailed study be carried out on this issue for the purpose of implementation, taking into consideration the principles behind the formation of Malaysia, Ongkili said.

He added that the committee also followed-up on the recommendation that the Election Commission (EC) accommodate the need of voters who are residing outside their polling areas.

This was to allow voters, particularly those from Sabah and Sarawak, as well as Peninsular Malaysians who were posted to the two states, to cast their votes in any polling station without having to return to their original areas, he said.

On the proposal for an automatic registration of Malaysians reaching the voting age of 21, he said, although the proposal was good, it could only be implemented in the long term because the effort to clean up the electoral roll should be given priority.

"Further investigation into doubtful names of voters as highlighted by Sabah and the call for the setting up of a Royal Commission of Inquiry on illegal immigrants in Sabah, should be carried out to ensure the electoral roll is accepted by all," he said. -- BERNAMA

PSC report touches Sabah, Sarawak seat allocation

KOTA KINABALU: The final report of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on Electoral Reforms tabled by Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili in the Dewan Rakyat today touches on the issue concerning parliamentary seat allocation for Sabah and Sarawak.

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