MBKS Mayor offers project plans to political critics to prove capability through action

Wee sharing his views on certain issues during his weekly ShallWeeTalk live session on May 23, 2026.

By Karen Bong

KUCHING, May 23: Kuching South City Council (MBKS) Mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng has challenged certain political parties to prove their capabilities through action rather than criticism, saying he is prepared to hand over project drawings such as for recreational park upgrades for them to take up, particularly in securing funding and implementation.

Wee said public park development and upgrading works under MBKS were ongoing efforts aimed at improving community spaces, but stressed that some quarters had chosen to focus on criticism instead of contributing constructively.

“Development cannot be done merely by talking. If they think it is so easy, I can even hand over the drawings and see what they can do about it, especially in terms of funding,” he said during his weekly ShallWeeTalk live session today.

He reiterated that MBKS already had project plans in place for further phases of recreational upgrades and was willing to pass them to critics who questioned the council’s performance.

“We have plans ready. If they say ok, I will hand over the project drawings to them as there are still upgrading works for other phases in the pipeline and see what they can do. Don’t tell me they don’t have funds because they contributed about RM50,000 in prize money for a pickleball competition recently and tens of thousands more for another event at Tropic. So why did they not provide some allocation for the council?” he said.

Wee said MBKS had completed or undertaken upgrading and beautification works at several recreational sites, including Kenyalang Park, Friendship Park, the Traffic Garden, and Hui Sing Community Park, with the aim of encouraging greater community use, particularly among families and senior citizens.

“We are improving parks so that residents and communities, particularly senior citizens, can enjoy these spaces. Even with limited budgets, we are trying our best. There are more we wanted to do,” he said.

He stressed that all enhancement works were subject to budget constraints and implemented in phases.

Responding to criticism of public infrastructure projects, Wee said all works were awarded through open tender processes and urged the public to understand construction complexities before making judgments based solely on appearance.

“People may look at a site and say it is uneven or not proper, but they do not understand the construction process behind it,” he said.

He also acknowledged that criticism would intensify as elections approach, comparing the political climate to rising floodwaters where “all kinds of voices and complaints” emerge.

Wee cited a public toilet project as an example, saying it initially cost RM60,000 under a previous implementation but required an additional RM46,590 to complete due to missing components, with the cost borne by the council. He added that the facility also required ongoing maintenance.

He further explained that project delays often stem from technical challenges such as tree relocation, underground root systems, utility approvals, electricity connections, and Occupation Permit (OP) requirements, noting that even basic works like electrical connections could cost tens of thousands of ringgit.

The mayor also questioned what some political critics had contributed, contrasting their frequent criticism with what he described as limited tangible involvement in development projects.

He pointed to Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap, who he said had utilised Rural Transformation Programme (RTP) allocations to fund multiple recreational and sports facilities, including parks and court upgrades, as examples of direct contributions to community development.

“People should judge leaders based on what they have delivered, what they have contributed, and what they have done for the people,” he said.

Wee said MBKS’ approach prioritises safety and completeness before opening facilities to the public, adding that premature criticism of incomplete projects was unhelpful.

He concluded by reaffirming his commitment to public service, saying he had served with a “clear conscience” and would continue working beyond office hours despite ongoing criticism.

“Criticism is easy. Doing the work is not. I will continue serving until the last day of my appointment,” he said. — DayakDaily