SIBU: It is the voters in Sarawak, and not the Democratic Action Party (DAP), who will ultimately decide which political coalition has earned the right to govern the state,
Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Youth chief Kevin Lau, who gave the reminder rejected DAP Sarawak’s portrayal of itself as the “referee” for the upcoming state election.
Lau said the election should not be framed simply as a contest between political parties but as a judgement by Sarawakians on who had delivered results, defended the state’s interests and possessed the ability to govern.
“Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and DAP are the political players, but the people of Sarawak are the real referee,” he said in a statement today.
Lau said Sarawakians were looking beyond political rhetoric and wanted tangible improvements in areas including economic growth, infrastructure, employment, cost of living, basic amenities and governance.
He also questioned DAP Sarawak’s attempt to position itself solely as an opposition force providing checks and balances, pointing out that DAP is part of Pakatan Harapan at the federal level.
With more than 40 DAP Members of Parliament forming part of the federal administration, he said, the party could not completely separate itself from the responsibilities of federal governance.
“Check and balance is important, but governance is more than criticising others,” he said.
Lau challenged DAP to explain what concrete policies it would offer to strengthen the economy, assist businesses facing rising costs and address the impact of measures such as the expanded Sales and Service Tax (SST) and e-Invoice.
He said voters deserved representatives capable not only of highlighting problems but also of proposing workable solutions and formulating policies that could be implemented effectively.
He argued that the state election should be viewed in the broader context of Sarawak’s negotiations with Putrajaya, particularly over constitutional and fiscal rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
He said a stronger mandate for GPS would give the state greater political leverage in discussions concerning MA63, development allocations, infrastructure, revenue, petroleum and gas, education and other areas of strategic importance.
“This is why Sarawak needs a stronger GPS mandate, not a fragmented one,” he said.
Lau maintained that the choice facing voters was therefore not simply about whether opposition parties should provide greater scrutiny, but whether the eventual government would be able to provide political stability while protecting Sarawak’s interests.
“The real referee is the people of Sarawak. They will decide who has delivered, who has protected Sarawak’s interests and who has the competence to govern rather than merely criticise.
“GPS would seek a mandate in the coming state election based on continuity, stability and administrative experience, particularly in dealing with complex negotiations with Putrajaya,” he stated.
