Page:Report of the Commission of Enquiry North Borneo & Sarawak.pdf/69

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that the representation of the Borneo territories in the (illegible text)ment should take account not only of their populations but also (illegible text) size and potentialities. We strongly recommend that these (illegible text) should be met.

The combined population of the territories is some 17.5 per cent of the population of the present Federation of Malaya and (illegible text) 14 per cent of the combined population of Malaya and Singapore (the population of Brunei accounting for about a further 1 per cent of the latter figure). The combined area of the two territories (illegible text) approximately one and a half times the size of Malaya (to which proportion the accession to the Federation of Singapore or Brunei would make very little difference).

We do not wish to recommend any precise formula for the allocation to the Borneo territories of seats in the Federal House of Representatives. We feel that this should be left to the Election Commission the membership of which should, we recommend, be increased by addition of a representative from the Borneo territories. We hope that in fixing their quota of seats the Election Commission will take account not only of the population of the territories but also of their area, their distance from the centre, and the difficulty of internal communications.

If, as we have recommended, the general request of the Borneo people is met that the people of Malaya and Singapore should not be allowed unfettered entry into their territories lest their way of life be unduly disturbed, we recommend that only those citizens who are normally resident in their territories should be allowed to vote and stand for elections in their respective territories for the Federal as well as the State Legislatures. Conversely, we consider that citizens who are normally resident in either of the Borneo territories should likewise be prevented from voting and standing for elections in any Federal or State elections outside their respective territories

We recommend that, in the initial stage, and until a more completeb electoral system is introduced, election to the Federal House of Representatives should be by the State Legislatures from among their own unofficial members.

We recommend that the number of unofficial members of the State Legislatures should be increased, in order to meet the additional duties which members will be called upon to undertake.

We recommend that representation of the Borneo territories in the Senate should also take account of other factors than population. We feel that it would be difficult to allot more than the normal two seats for election by each State Legislature, and we therefore recommend the addition of, say, eight (four to be appointed from each territory) to the number of members appointed by His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong from persons who have achieved distinction or who are representative of racial minorities.

(h) Special Position of Indigenous Races

As recorded in earlier Chapters, native witnesses have unanimously asked that the native races of Sarawak and North Borneo should be put