A special committee has been proposed to discuss increasing the number of parliamentary seats for Sabah and Sarawak, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) Datuk Mustapha Sakmud said.
Winding up the Supply Bill 2027 debate for his ministry in the Dewan Rakyat on 26 October, he said the committee would be set up under the technical committee of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 Implementation Action Council (MTPMA63).
The proposal will be submitted to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said. Mustapha said more seats were needed for both states in keeping with the spirit of MA63.
He said the government had now settled 16 matters under the agreement. Three were agreed at the MTPMA63 meeting on 11 September: federal financial obligations, more public service posts in Sabah and Sarawak, and Borneonisation of the federal public service in the two states.
Five outstanding matters, including oil royalty payments, require decisions from a high-level committee made up of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor. The meeting date depends on their availability.
Royalty rates, petroleum cash payments and the basis for calculating revenue have yet to be finalised.