Kuching: The dispute over development in the Pending constituency has intensified after ADUN for Pending Violet Yong strongly rejected Dr. Sim Kui Hian’s recent claim that Pending has seen limited development over the past two decades, while Batu Kawa is comparatively more developed.
Yong described Dr. Sim’s remarks as “absurd” and “baseless rhetoric,” arguing that they contradict democratic principles and reflect an attempt to shift responsibility for governance onto voters.
She also said the statement indirectly raises questions about the performance of the authorities responsible for local development, including the Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) leadership, the Sarawak Ministry of Public Health, Housing and Local Government, and the Kuching South City Council (MBKS), which oversees Pending.
Yong questioned how SUPP, which she said had represented Pending for over 40 years, could now suggest the area lags behind other constituencies. She asked what meaningful development outcomes had been achieved during that period, given that even party leaders acknowledge shortcomings.
“If problems exist in an urban constituency long governed under a system controlled by the ruling party, then the issue is not the voters but governance capacity, responsibility, and fairness in resource allocation,” she said.
She added that development responsibility lies with the government, which controls planning approval, funding allocation, and project implementation. She argued that linking development outcomes to voter choices reflects a flawed political mindset.
“Pending falls under the jurisdiction of MBKS, while the Sarawak state government handles broader policy direction and funding decisions, currently led by the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition,” she said.
Yong further questioned whether Pending has received equitable development funding, noting that Sarawak manages large annual budgets and regularly announces infrastructure and public facility projects. She asked how many of these resources have been directed to Pending and whether they have translated into meaningful improvements for residents.
She stressed that development should not be treated as a political reward tied to election results, but as a basic responsibility of government for all constituencies.
“If a constituency is disadvantaged because of its political choices, that would indicate political marginalisation rather than voter fault,” she added.
Yong also pointed out that GPS holds an overwhelming majority in the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly, saying that with such dominance, responsibility for development outcomes rests firmly with the ruling administration.
She concluded by reminding leaders not to underestimate voters’ understanding of governance and accountability, saying that the public can distinguish between political rhetoric and administrative responsibility.
