The process of adding seats to Parliament has not yet begun.

BETONG, Sept 26: Sarawak Premier, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg views the statement of the Election Commission (EC) on no proposal to increase the number of seats in the Parliament of Sarawak currently does not contradict previously discussed.

On the contrary, he explained that any additional seats of Parliament would have to go through a process and procedures set in advance including bringing them to Parliament.

According to him, the number of seats to be added is ultimately subject to government decisions and related processes at the Federal level.

"Do not contradict the process. The government has decided, if it wants to increase, how much to add is up to the government because it involves Parliament.

"Then it must be brought to Parliament first. So the process as it is now, has to be exhibited and rearranged. After that, if there is any objection, it's shown again according to the process", he said.

He said this while commenting on the SPR's statement which denied reports about a proposal to increase the number of parliamentary seats in Sarawak to a certain number.

The SPR on Friday explained that there is currently no proposal to increase the number of parliamentary elections in Sarawak as reported by media and linked to discussions of the 1963 Malaysia Agreement (MA63).

SPR Secretary, Datuk Khairul Shahril Idrus said that so far only scores under the Preliminary Confinement Study of Seventh Sarawak Election Divisions have been prepared and displayed to the public from September 1 to 30.

Commenting further, Brother Johari said that SPR's statement that it has not yet received a proposal to add seats in Parliament is consistent with the process as the process has not started.

"That's why the chairman of the Election Commission said he hasn't received because there is not yet, the process has not started.

"As we do in the state, when there's a process, it just starts. It doesn't have to be taken into account as long as the process works", he said.

As such, Brother Johari stressed that he did not see the statement of the SPR as contradicting the position or process related to the addition of seats in the Parliament of Sarawak.

"For me it is not contradictory. It's just a process, obviously.