Parliamentarian Ibrahim Shujau has submitted a resolution to the Parliament addressing the growing number of parliamentarians with each new administration. The resolution aims to gather opinions from members on finding a solution to this issue, which has been observed over the past four administrations.
Shujau highlighted the number of parliamentarians has increased every five years, corresponding with population growth. He expressed concerns raised by the public regarding this trend and emphasized the importance of finding a modern solution through member discussions and expressed opinions.
The resolution notes that an additional 16 members were elected over the past four administrations. Shujau pointed out that although the population growth rate has declined over the past 30 years, the continued increase in population will inevitably lead to more parliamentary seats.
To address this issue, Shujau emphasised the need to amend Articles 71 and 72 of the Constitution to reduce or maintain the number of parliamentarians at a constant level. The resolution also calls for changes to the Electoral Constituencies Act.
The number of parliamentarians has grown significantly over recent years. The 17th Parliament consisted of 77 members, which increased to 85 in the 18th Parliament. Two additional seats were introduced in the 19th Parliament, and the current Parliament now comprises 93 members.