Kuching: A review of the Foreign Workers Transformation Approach (FWTA) fee mechanism must not remain a mere verbal assurance, said DAPSY Sarawak Organising Secretary Chong Hong Hien, who stressed that meaningful checks and balances are essential to ensure government accountability and transparency.
He said the DAP Sarawak will continue to closely monitor the implementation of the FWTA policy, including its fee structure, execution process, and overall transparency, to ensure that the rights and interests of both the public and businesses are genuinely protected.
“Recently, Violet Yong revealed in the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly that the FWTA policy implemented by the Sarawak Government involved steep fee increases and a lack of transparency in its execution, sparking widespread public concern.
“Violet Yong’s decision to raise the issue in the State Assembly resonated strongly with industry players across various sectors in Sarawak, ultimately prompting Sarawak Premier Abang Jo to announce a review of the FWTA fee mechanism,” he said.
Chong emphasised that the FWTA issue highlights the importance of checks and balances in a democratic system, as well as the role played by the DAP Sarawak.
“We often hear the DAP Sarawak emphasising the importance of checks and balances, while SUPP leaders frequently claim that Sarawak would still have checks and balances even without the DAP.
“However, the FWTA issue has clearly shown that effective checks and balances are not merely rhetoric. It requires elected representatives who are willing to raise issues openly in the State Assembly and bring the people’s concerns directly to the government,” he said.
He pointed out that the FWTA policy was not something newly introduced this year and that the Sarawak Timber Association had already publicly raised concerns about the policy’s fee structure, which was placing a heavy burden on businesses as early as January 2025.
“They had called on the Sarawak Government to review the charges imposed. The related statement was even published on the Sarawak Premier’s Department website. This indirectly proves that the Sarawak Government had long been aware that the excessive FWTA charges were causing serious difficulties for industry players.
“Yet, before the issue gained public traction, the government showed neither sufficient urgency nor political will to address the problem,” he said.
Chong further pointed out that if Violet Yong had not exposed the unreasonable FWTA fee hikes in the State Assembly, the Sarawak Government would never have felt pressured to review the policy.
“Otherwise, the government should have acted immediately back in 2025 when the Sarawak Timber Association first raised objections, rather than waiting more than a year until the matter was highlighted in the Assembly and amplified through public pressure,” he said.
He also criticised SUPP, as a component party of the ruling coalition, for remaining largely silent throughout the entire FWTA controversy and appearing indifferent to the struggles faced by businesses across Sarawak.
“The facts are clear. Despite having 18 state assemblymen, SUPP’s role in monitoring the government and voicing public concerns has been far less effective than the role played by the DAP’s mere two assemblypersons. The FWTA issue is the clearest proof of this,” he said.
Nevertheless, Chong said that the Sarawak DAP welcomes Abang Jo’s willingness to review the FWTA fee mechanism, describing it as a positive development for industry players.
