PETALING JAYA: An advocacy group has proposed giving 15 additional Senate seats each for Sabah and Sarawak to ensure one-third veto power to block any unilateral constitutional amendments by Peninsular Malaysia.
Projek Sama said Sabah and Sarawak currently have only 7.1% representation in the Senate.
"With only two members elected by their state legislatures and one federally appointed senator representing the federal territory (Labuan), East Malaysia lacks the critical voice it deserves in national decision-making," it said in a statement.
It said the proposal, dubbed "Dewan Negara 35/100", would give East Malaysia 35% of Senate seats and ensure that Sabah and Sarawak have a stronger voice in the legislative process.
Projek Sama said this Senate reform is more feasible than similar changes in the Dewan Rakyat, where increasing seats for both East and Peninsular Malaysia equally could lead to excessive bloating.
"Without parliamentary reforms to deliver better quality in lawmaking and policy scrutiny, Malaysians would reject job creations for politicians at such a colossal scale," it said.
Sabah and Sarawak currently hold 56 seats, or 25%, of the 222-seat Dewan Rakyat.
There have been calls to restore the 35% share of East Malaysia in the Dewan Rakyat as originally envisioned in the formation of Malaysia.
Projek Sama said the "Dewan Negara 35/100" proposal would affirm the status of Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan as special regions within Malaysia, reinforcing state rights in a federal system and addressing any gaps left by the 1963 Malaysia Agreement.
It called on all political parties to support the proposal, so that an amendment to Article 45 of the Federal Constitution could be tabled in the upcoming parliamentary meeting beginning next month.
"When Parliament convenes again (for the new session) next March, the veto power can already be a reality," it said.
