BY RUSNAN MUSTAFA
KUCHING: Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii has acknowledged that the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government has implemented several good policies for Sarawak.
At the same time he also stressed that a credible opposition plays an important role in ensuring the state administration continues to improve.
He said while the government’s achievements should be recognised when its policies benefited the people, the presence of an opposition should not be viewed as an attempt to obstruct the government, but rather as a mechanism for checks and balances in a democratic system.
“We cannot view one side as being more important than the other. The government and opposition play different but complementary roles in developing the Sarawak we love,” he said.
The DAP MP said this to reporters after attending the Public Townhall themed ‘The Roles of Government, Opposition and Checks and Balances in Sarawak’s Development,’ at Crown Square here last night.
The townhall was organised by the Society for the Promotion of Social Empowerment (ROSE), and also featured Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap as a panelist representing GPS, with ROSE president Geoffrey Tang as moderator.
Dr Yii also believed that the state administration would remain stable if GPS secured a mandate in the upcoming State Election, based on several good policies implemented by the state government.
However, he said the presence of a credible opposition in the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) remained important to ensure every government policy and decision was scrutinised and improved in the interest of the people.
“We support policies that are good for Sarawak, but no matter how good a government is, there is always room for improvement.
“That is where checks and balances and diversity of voices in the DUN become important,” he said.
He explained that the presence of an effective opposition could also encourage the government to improve its performance through constructive views, criticism and suggestions.
He said the relationship between the government and opposition should not be viewed as one of hostility, but rather as two sides with different roles in ensuring Sarawak continues to progress.
“The government and opposition complement each other. We may have different opinions, but we can still engage in mature dialogue and work together on matters that benefit the people,” he added.
Meanwhile, Dr Yii welcomed the organisation of the debate session, describing it as an important platform for fostering a mature democratic culture in Sarawak.
He said the people had the right to hear the views of all political parties before making their decision, allowing them to assess each position based on the facts and policies being offered.
“Let the people decide for themselves which views are best for Sarawak’s future,” he said.
On preparations for the upcoming State Election, he confirmed that DAP Sarawak would contest, but said the party had yet to finalise the seats it would contest.
“We want to offer the people a choice because we believe a strong opposition is still needed, no matter how good a government may be,” he said.
