‘80 of them, yet GPS cannot tolerate a different voice,’ says Padungan rep after DUNS suspension

Chong participating in the Sarawak Budget 2027 debate at DUNS Sitting on Oct 14, 2026.

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, Oct 15: Padungan assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen has questioned why the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government and its ministers cannot tolerate dissent despite having 80 representatives in the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUNS), following his suspension from the sitting for the remainder of the current session.

In a statement issued following his suspension today, Chong questioned whether the GPS government had become “so dictatorial that it is now beyond question”, arguing that the overwhelming majority of government representatives should not come at the expense of opposition voices.

“There were only two of us in the Opposition in DUN Sarawak (each having 20 minutes of debate time) and there are 80 of them singing praises of the GPS. Yet the GPS government and ministers still cannot tolerate a different voice,” he said.

Chong described his suspension as being based on the “flimsiest of excuses”, claiming that he was merely questioning the accuracy of the Sarawak Budget 2027 document when the action was taken against him.

He also alleged that he was suspended without being given the right to be heard.

“Can’t an elected member question the document tabled by the Executive in the Assembly?” he asked.

Chong maintained that questioning the executive was a fundamental responsibility of an elected representative, and said his suspension highlighted the risks of giving the ruling coalition an overwhelming majority in the legislature.

“This is the danger of giving the ruling party an overwhelming majority in the legislature. It can now lord over the Sarawak Legislative Assembly without being accountable to the people of Sarawak,” he said.

He further alleged that the real reason behind his suspension might not have been his questioning of the budget document’s accuracy, but the issues he raised during his debate.

Chong specifically pointed to the leasing of a private jet at what he described as an unreasonably high cost, claiming that the GPS government had no answer to the matter.

He also highlighted the issue of a 30 per cent Bumiputera quota for all major Sarawak government projects.

Despite his suspension, he said the government remained obligated to address the issues he had raised during the assembly sitting.

“The GPS government and ministers do not only owe me a duty to answer to the issues raised in DUNS but they owe it to the people of Sarawak to provide answers and explanations to the issues raised in DUNS,” he said. — DayakDaily