Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to increasing parliamentary representation for Sabah and Sarawak, saying the move is consistent with efforts to honour the spirit and safeguards underpinning the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
The assurance came as Anwar met Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg in Kota Kinabalu on Friday (Sept 11) for discussions centred on the implementation of outstanding MA63 matters.
The Prime Minister said the government accepted the need for Sabah and Sarawak to have greater representation in the Dewan Rakyat, although the precise number of additional seats and the mechanism for implementing the increase would require further deliberation.
The issue has been one of the key outstanding matters raised repeatedly by both state governments under the MA63 framework.
Sabah and Sarawak currently hold a combined 56 of the 222 seats in the Dewan Rakyat, comprising 25 seats in Sabah and 31 in Sarawak, or just over a quarter of the chamber. Both states have previously pushed for their combined representation to be restored to around one-third of Parliament.
Following an MTPMA63 meeting in September 2025, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said Anwar had accepted in principle that greater representation could be considered, although differing legal interpretations between the federal and state attorneys-general needed to be resolved.
Anwar subsequently made clear that while there was a policy commitment to increase representation, the government had not committed to a specific one-third formula, with the eventual number requiring further consideration, including by the Election Commission.
He also said the legal questions surrounding the one-third demand needed to be resolved between the Attorney-General and the state legal advisers of Sabah and Sarawak.
Any adjustment to the number of parliamentary constituencies would involve the federal constitutional and electoral process and would ultimately require parliamentary approval, including the necessary two-thirds support where constitutional amendments are involved.
