Ewon (right) with Mojigoh (centre), who has rejoined Upko.
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah and Sarawak should be allocated a third of the number of seats in Parliament to provide power balance and promote moderation in the country, says Upko president Datuk Ewon Benedick.
"There needs to be a balance between the Bornean States, which is Sabah and Sarawak, with the Peninsular," he said, adding this was also related to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
Ewon, who is also the Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Minister, was speaking after re-launching the Putatan Upko division near here on Saturday (Nov 4).
He also said that 3R sentiments related to race, religion and royalty were often raised during election campaigns in the Peninsula.
He said the Bornean States can highlight a more moderate approach to politics.
Ewon said he would raise the matter in the upcoming MA63 Technical Committee meeting after obtaining additional input from various parties including the Upko election bureau.
"We will also discuss the list of new demarcation areas with the Sabah Chief Minister.
"I believe Sabah and Sarawak parties are looking into this matter and we still have room to raise the matter in various platforms including the media, the Dewan Rakyat, the Dewan Negara, the MA63 Implementation Technical Committee and the Special Council," he said.
Sabah and Sarawak currently have 56 seats in the 222-seat Parliament.
Earlier, former Putatan Upko division chief Datuk Dr Marcus Mojigoh, who quit the party in 2020, was reinstated as division chairman after some 2,000 former members applied to rejoin the party.
