Kuching: During the recent Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting, despite DAP Sarawak having only two ADUNs — namely ADUN Padungan Chong Chieng Jen and ADUN Pending Violet Yong — they had effectively raised several pressing issues that directly affect the livelihoods and welfare of ordinary Sarawakians.
Among the major issues raised during the DUN sitting were:
1. The steep and burdensome fees imposed under the Foreign Workers Transformation Approach (FWTA) scheme;
2. The failure of the 2013 paddy planting project and the need for safeguards to prevent a repeat of such failure under the 2026 initiative;
3. The potholes, traffic disruptions and water supply interruptions caused by the ongoing Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) construction works;
4. The relocation plan involving the Pending Industrial Area; and
5. The exorbitant airfares charged by AirBorneo.
In light of these issues raised by the two DAP ADUNs, Wilfred Yap must answer a simple question — which of these issues are merely “politicking”, and which are unrelated to the welfare and livelihoods of the people?
Let us take the ART project as an example. While Wilfred Yap continues praising the implementation of the project, he should be reminded that in December 2023, Sarawak Transport Minister Lee Kim Shin publicly announced that the first ART line would be completed by the end of 2025. Subsequently, Premier Abang Johari himself publicly expressed dissatisfaction over the slow progress of the project.
Surely, as a staunch defender of the Sarawak Government, Wilfred Yap would not have missed the statements made by leaders from his own party and coalition.
Not only has the ART project suffered from significant delays, but the construction works have also caused severe pothole issues and frequent water supply disruptions in various affected areas. These problems are not merely inconveniences. They pose serious safety risks to road users and have caused tremendous inconvenience, losses and hardship to residents and businesses operating in the affected areas.
To date, the Sarawak Government has yet to provide any meaningful compensation, assistance or effective remedy to those impacted by the prolonged disruptions.
Any responsible ADUN, upon learning of such issues, would immediately raise the struggles faced by residents and businesses, as well as the safety concerns affecting road users, in the August House while urging the government to assist those affected.
The last thing any responsible representative should do is attack those who raise legitimate concerns merely to curry favour with the ruling coalition.
Effective checks and balances are not carried out by blindly defending the government while relentlessly attacking the opposition. Real checks and balances mean acting as watchdogs over government policies and implementation, giving a voice to the voiceless, hearing the unheard, and ensuring that the people’s needs and hardships are not neglected in the name of development.
A clear example of this can be seen in the recent FWTA issue raised by ADUN Pending Violet Yong. By bringing the matter to the DUN, she echoed the concerns of countless business owners across Sarawak and placed significant pressure on the Sarawak Government to review the implementation of the scheme.
The outcome speaks for itself. Premier Abang Johari eventually announced a review of the FWTA mechanism following the public concerns raised.
This clearly demonstrates that DAP Sarawak, despite having only two ADUNs in the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly, is still capable of bringing meaningful change to the lives of ordinary Sarawakians simply by holding the government accountable and ensuring that issues affecting the people are properly debated and scrutinised.
In contrast, SUPP appears more interested in uncritically defending every action and policy implemented by the Sarawak Government instead of addressing the genuine concerns faced by the rakyat.
Regardless, Wilfred Yap may continue playing his role as the so-called “Minister of DAP Affairs” by criticising every move and statement made by DAP Sarawak.
DAP Sarawak, however, will continue fulfilling its responsibility as the people’s watchdog by monitoring the Sarawak Government, demanding accountability, and ensuring that the voices of ordinary Sarawakians are heard by those in positions of power.
Chong Hong Hien
DAPSY Sarawak Organising Secretary
29 May 2026
