KUALA LUMPUR – The government has been urged to conduct a re-delineation exercise for parliamentary seats in Sabah and Sarawak to enhance economic growth and development in both states.
Senator Pele Peter Tinggom said this is important as it could promote infrastructure development in these areas through allocations provided to parliamentary constituencies, thereby expediting administrative processes.
“Imagine parliamentary constituencies like P220 Baram under MP Datuk Anyi Ngau, which is as large as the state of Pahang. Similarly, parliamentary constituencies like P216 Hulu Rajang under MP Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong, which is almost as large as Pahang.
“If constituencies like these are divided and additional parliamentary seats are added, planned infrastructure and economic development will reach the people directly and even faster than the current situation,” he said when debating the Motion of Thanks for the Royal Address in the Senate today.
According to Pele, the re-delineation process needs to be done immediately, especially since the current unity government is supported by Sabah and Sarawak with a two-thirds majority in Parliament.
“This is to rectify what is necessary for balanced prosperity as stipulated in the Federal Constitution and the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63),” he said.
Meanwhile, Senator Tan Sri Anifah Aman requested the federal government re-examine the Federal Manufacturing Licence for Sabah to increase the potential for investment in the state.
“Currently, any investor in the manufacturing sector wishing to invest in Sabah must obtain a federal manufacturing licence from the federal government if their investment exceeds RM2.5 million.
“This is because the Sabah government can only grant state government approval to investors valued below RM2.5 million, and do the honourable members (of the Senate) know that just to establish a McDonald’s alone costs up to RM2.8 million? I think this is ridiculous,” he said.
The former foreign minister then suggested raising the investment threshold from RM2.5 million to RM100 million so that more medium-scale investors could enter Sabah without going through lengthy bureaucratic processes at the federal level.
He said that this would indirectly stimulate the state’s economy by creating job opportunities and increasing tax collection.
Meanwhile, Senator Datuk Dominic Lau Hoe Chai suggested that the government emphasise the mastery of three languages in national schools, namely Malay, English and a third language.
“We need to move on from bilingual to trilingual because this allows students to be proficient in multiple languages in one school,” said Lau, who is also Gerakan president.
The Senate sitting continues tomorrow. – March 19, 2024