KUCHING: Sarawak DAP has suggested that more senators from Sabah and Sarawak be appointed to increase the representation of lawmakers in the Parliament from the two states.
State chairman Chong Chieng Jen noted that in the Westminster model of parliamentary government, the Senate level in the Parliament represents states which are underpopulated.
“In that sense, I believe a quick way to address this underrepresentation in the Parliament in a short time is by increasing the number of senators who are appointed by the states.
“This will also safeguard the interests of the states which are under populated as in the case of Sabah and Sarawak as compared to Semenanjung Malaysia,” he said during an online policy talk entitled ‘The 2021 Constitutional Amendment – MA63 and the Status of Borneo States in Malaysia’ organised by Wisdom Foundation Malaysia.
Chong, who is Stampin MP, said that in all federations, there is the question of ‘one person, one vote’, and surely under such a system, he believed that the states with higher population would naturally have a greater representation in the Parliament.
On another note, he said that Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) must set a timeline to address the “injustice done to Sarawak all the years”.
“Now that GPS has won big time in the 12th state election, there may be some silver lining now that GPS is given greater power to govern the state.
“I think what must be done is that there must be a timeline set by the state government in terms of devolution of power in education, healthcare and how the federal allocation should be increased proportionally for Sarawak every year,” Chong said.
