KUALA LUMPUR – The government has agreed in principle to increase the proportion of parliamentary seats held by Sabah and Sarawak, in line with the spirit of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.
He said the move would require amendments to the Federal Constitution to increase the number of MPs representing the two states, Bernama reported.
“Under MA63, with Singapore included at the time, Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak accounted for one-third of the representation. The proportion is now obviously lower. So, our decision is that the ratio for Sabah and Sarawak must be increased.
“This is an important decision that the Cabinet agreed to in principle, in its meeting last Wednesday,” he told reporters after chairing the 2026 Malaysia Agreement 1963 Implementation Action Council (MTPMA63) meeting at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) here today.
Also present were Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
Anwar said the matter was not solely about adding more parliamentary seats, but also about ensuring Sabah and Sarawak’s share of representation reflected a higher proportion in Parliament.
Asked if the government was aiming for Sabah and Sarawak to hold 40% of parliamentary seats, Anwar said the details and mechanism would have to be discussed with the Election Commission (EC).
He added that it remained uncertain whether the increase could be implemented before the next general election, as the process would require consultations and constitutional amendments.
The Prime Minister said the MTPMA63 meeting also discussed expediting the creation of posts and the Borneonisation of the Federal Public Service in Sabah and Sarawak, as stipulated under MA63 and recommended by the Cobbold Commission.
“The first phase of implementation has been completed, while the second phase will be expedited, including the appointment of Sabahans and Sarawakians to key positions,” he added. – September 11, 2026