KUCHING: Attempts by Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen to “claim credit” over the Premier’s statement on the possible extension of free tertiary education to public universities has been described as misleading and politically motivated.
Puncak Borneo MP Datuk Willie Mongin said the Premier’s recent remarks were made within the context of Sarawak’s long-term education and fiscal planning, and not as a result of pressure or advocacy from opposition politicians.
According to the report in a news portal, the Premier said the expansion of the scheme would depend on state income and resources.
The Premier’s statement, Willie said, reflects the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government’s consistent and responsible approach—balancing social welfare aspirations with fiscal sustainability.
“This policy direction has always been part of the Sarawak government’s roadmap to empower its people through education,” he said, adding that Chong’s attempt to portray the statement as an outcome of opposition demands was “an insult to the intelligence of Sarawakians”.
He said the GPS-led state government has already taken concrete steps to ease the burden of higher education on Sarawakian families, including the implementation of free tertiary education at state-owned institutions and various education assistance schemes.
“These initiatives were planned, funded and executed by the Sarawak government long before Chong made his claims. To now come out and claim credit by stating that it took the Premier one year to realise his (Chong’s) suggestion is nothing more than political posturing,” he said in respond to Chong’s statement posted in DAP Sarawak Facebook page.
The Premier’s conditional statement, he added, underscores prudent governance, ensuring that any expansion of free education does not compromise the state’s financial health or future development priorities.
Willie, who is Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) supreme council member, noted that Sarawak’s education reforms are closely tied to its broader push for greater autonomy and revenue rights, which have enabled the state to introduce people-centric policies without relying excessively on federal allocations.
“Real leadership is about delivery, not taking credit for announcements made by others,” he said, urging opposition figures to play a more constructive role by supporting efforts to strengthen Sarawak’s economy so that more benefits can be extended to the people.
He believed that any decision to expand the free tertiary education scheme will be based solely on Sarawak’s financial capability and the best interests of its people, not political pressure or claims by any individual.
