Parti Bumi Kenyalang expresses its deep concern over the continuing domination of the highest levels of Malaysia's judiciary by judges originating from Malaya, particularly within the Court of Appeal and the Federal Court.

More than six decades after the formation of Malaysia in 1963, Sabah and Sarawak continue to face systemic underrepresentation in key national institutions. This situation raises serious questions about whether the principle of equal partnership that formed the basis of Malaysia has been honoured in practice.

Malaysia was not created through the absorption of Sabah and Sarawak into Malaya. It was established as a federation founded upon the participation of distinct territories that agreed to form a new nation. Any institutional arrangement that results in persistent domination by one region over the others undermines the spirit and understanding upon which Malaysia was founded.

Parti Bumi Kenyalang views the continued concentration of judicial power in the hands of appointees predominantly from Malaya as a form of institutional domination that is incompatible with the concept of equal partnership. When the highest courts are overwhelmingly occupied by judges from one region, legitimate concerns arise regarding representation, balance, and public confidence in the administration of justice.

We further submit that any structure which systematically marginalises Sabah and Sarawak within national institutions bears characteristics commonly associated with internal colonialism, where political, legal, and administrative authority is concentrated in a dominant centre at the expense of peripheral territories. Such practices are contrary to modern democratic principles, respect for regional autonomy, and the universally recognised principle that all constituent peoples of a federation should enjoy equal dignity and participation in governance.

The international movement against colonialism and imperialism was founded upon the principle that no people should be subjected to political domination by another. While Malaysia presents itself as a modern federation, the persistent underrepresentation of Sabah and Sarawak in the highest judicial institutions creates the perception that the relationship between Malaya and the Borneo territories remains unequal.

Parti Bumi Kenyalang therefore calls for immediate institutional reforms to ensure meaningful and equitable representation of Sabah and Sarawak judges in the Court of Appeal and the Federal Court. The judiciary must reflect the federal character of Malaysia and the constitutional status of Sabah and Sarawak as founding partners in the formation of the Federation.

The people of Sabah and Sarawak are entitled to equal participation in every branch of national governance. Judicial appointments must not perpetuate a structure of domination. They must instead uphold justice, equality, and the federal compact upon which Malaysia was established.

The time has come to end institutional domination and to restore genuine equality between Malaya, Sabah, and Sarawak. Anything less would be a continuing denial of the spirit of 1963 and the aspirations of the peoples who agreed to form Malaysia.

*VOON LEE SHAN*
President
*Parti Bumi Kenyalang*

30 May 2026