KUCHING: Sarawak’s push for greater control over its resources and fiscal autonomy is a legitimate assertion of its rights, not an emotional reaction, said Kua Jack Seng.
Kua, who is Political Secretary to the Premier and Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Engkilili branch chairman, was alluding to recent criticisms by Democratic Action Party Socialist Youth (DAPSY) member Soo Tien Ren regarding Sarawak’s approach to reclaiming its rights.
He stated that Soo’s call to “avoid a hostile atmosphere” was a political tactic to shift focus away from the core issue of Sarawak’s constitutional entitlements.
“Simplifying the issue of rights as ‘overly strong rhetoric’ is nothing more than an old political tactic to shift focus,” Kua said in a press statement.
He further criticised the DAP’s ideological stance, describing it as a “Malaya-centric” perspective that fails to uphold the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
He said such a framework often reduces the concept of a “Malaysian Malaysia” to a requirement that Sarawak and Sabah must conform to a federal-led narrative.
“Under this logic, differences are seen as problems and insistence is labelled as opposition. Sarawak’s voice is asked to be quieter and more restrained.
“This is not unity, but assimilation,” he stressed.
Kua added that the federal-based power structures have led some political entities to become accustomed to compliance, lacking the courage to challenge unequal structures.
“After kneeling for so long, it’s easy to forget that it can actually stand up.
“When Sarawak chooses to argue its case, some people are not used to it and seek to suppress this voice by calling it harsh,” he added.
He reiterated that Sarawak’s stance is driven by principle and aimed at addressing structural asymmetries.
“The issue is not that Sarawak’s tone is too strong, but that some are uncomfortable with the state taking a firm stand,” he said.
