KUCHING: Sarawak’s 99.8-metre flagpole at Dataran Ibu Pertiwi forms part of a larger landmark complex, countering online comparisons with a similar but cheaper structure in Selangor.
Sarawak Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, said the project is not merely the construction of a flagpole but part of a broader complex that includes landscaping elements and cascading water features, responding to criticism circulating on social media.
“Our flagpole is not just a flagpole. It is part of a larger complex that includes other features such as the cascading water structure,” he said during a press conference after launching the Borneo Global Meditourism Congress and Expo at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching today.
He noted that online comparisons between the Sarawak project and Selangor’s 120-metre flagpole project were misleading because the two developments involve different concepts and scopes.
“Sometimes you cannot compare. It is like comparing a Mercedes, BMW and Proton; they can all take you to the same destination, but the cost is different,” he said.
The controversy arose after social media users compared the approximately RM30-million cost of the Sarawak flagpole project with a 120-metre flagpole in Selangor, reportedly costing about RM8.5 million.
Abdul Karim stressed that evaluating the project solely on the flagpole itself overlooks the broader development of the Dataran Ibu Pertiwi landmark complex, and the structure has already attracted interest from visitors, including royalty from other states.
According to him, the Sultan of Selangor, Sharafuddin Idris Shah, expressed admiration for the landmark during a visit to Sarawak for the Rainforest World Music Festival last year.
“After seeing the flagpole, he told his officials he wanted something similar but even higher,” Abdul Karim said.
He also clarified that the project was not directly funded by the Sarawak State Government.
Instead, the development was financed through contributions from companies in the petroleum sector, namely Petroleum Sarawak Bhd (PETROS), Petroliam Nasional Bhd (PETRONAS) and Shell Malaysia.
Abdul Karim said the overall project should therefore be viewed in its full context as a landmark development rather than simply a flagpole installation.
