Ewon (right) and Datuk Dr Marcus Mojigoh (centre) at the event on Saturday.
PUTATAN (Nov 4): The United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (UPKO) supports the allocation of one-third of parliamentary seats to Sabah and Sarawak.
Its president, Datuk Ewon Benedick, said that this is not only related to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) but also to provide political balance between the Borneo region and the Peninsula.
“Our demand is that one-third of the total number of parliamentary seats should be allocated to Sabah and Sarawak.
“We want one-third not only in relation to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 but also to ensure a balance between the Borneo region, which includes Sabah, Sarawak and the Peninsula consisting of the states of Peninsular Malaysia,” he said.
He made these remarks when after launching the Putatan division of UPKO at the Kg Duvanson Putatan Community Hall, here, on Saturday.
Ewon, who is also the Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives, said that the sentiment of 3R, which relates to race, religion and royalty, is often raised during election campaigns in the Peninsula.
Therefore, he sai, the Borneo region (Sabah and Sarawak) can serve as a counterbalance or highlight a more moderate politics.
“That’s why I see there is fairness and a strong foundation for the demand for one-third of parliamentary seats,” he said.
Ewon said that he would personally raise the matter in the upcoming meeting of the MA63 Technical Committee after obtaining additional inputs from various parties, including the UPKO Election Bureau.
“We will also discuss the list of new delineation areas with the Chief Minister of Sabah. I believe that the parties in Sabah and Sarawak are looking into this matter, and we still have room to raise this issue in various platforms, including the media, the House of Representatives, the Senate, the MA63 Implementation Technical Committee, and the Special Council of MATPMA63,” he said.