Borneo bloc seeks 35 per cent of Malaysian parliamentary seats

The Malaysian federal government has entered preliminary discussions with the Election Commission regarding a proposal to ensure the Borneo bloc, comprising Sabah and Sarawak, holds at least 35 per cent of the Dewan Rakyat seats.

Datuk Mustapha Sakmud, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak), proposed the establishment of a special committee under the Technical Committee of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 Implementation Action Council (MTPMA63). This committee would be tasked with detailing the implementation mechanism. Sakmud suggested the committee be co-chaired by himself and the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform), Datuk Azalina Othman.

The proposal has been reviewed by the MTPMA63 Technical Committee and the Cabinet. Formal engagement with the Election Commission began on September 22 to assess the necessary legislative processes. During parliamentary discussions, MP Datuk Willie Mongin emphasized that the demand for increased representation is rooted in the Cobbold Commission and Inter-Governmental Committee Report, asserting that the original principles of Malaysia's formation must be upheld.