By Media Selangor Team
SHAH ALAM, Mar 5 — Any move to increase the number of Parliamentary seats will require a constitutional amendment, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
Azalina said the composition of seats in Parliament falls under the Parliament’s authority and can only be changed through an amendment to Article 46 of the Federal Constitution.
“Based on input from the Election Commission (EC), the determination of the composition of parliamentary seats falls under the jurisdiction of Parliament through an amendment to Article 46 of the Federal Constitution,” she said in Dewan Negara written reply.
Article 46 provides for the composition of the Dewan Rakyat, including the total number of elected members of Parliament and their allocation by state.
Azalina said the matter requires careful technical discussions as it involves amendments to the constitution that would affect the overall composition of MPs.
She added that the EC can only begin a redelineation exercise after Article 46 is amended, as provided under Article 113(3) of the Federal Constitution.
Azalina was responding to Senator Tuan Che Alias Hamid on whether the government plans to amend the Federal Constitution to increase the number of parliamentary and state assembly seats, following analysts’ proposals to add 20 new parliamentary seats to accommodate population and voter growth.
On January 30, Azalina said the EC will only decide on the redelineation of electoral boundaries for Peninsular Malaysia after the eight-year period ends on March 9.
In Sabah, the eight-year period ended in February 2025.
