No reason to move Dr Sim away from Batu Kawah

‘I think it is most likely (Dr Sim will be defending the seat). You think of a candidate that can be here? Most likely Sim will be asked to contest’. – Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg, Premier of Sarawak

If an elected representative has served his constituency well, delivered on his promises and, more importantly, continues to enjoy the confidence of his voters, there is really no compelling reason for him to be moved elsewhere.

There may, of course, be strategic considerations that a political party has to take into account when deciding where to place its candidates. 

But generally speaking, why fix something that is not broken?

This is precisely why I find Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian’s position on Batu Kawah entirely understandable.

A few days ago, I chanced upon a Facebook video in which Dr Sim said, in effect, that he saw no reason why he should move away from Batu Kawah when he believed that the people there were generally happy with his performance.

I would say that was simply stating a matter of fact. The Deputy Premier and president of SUPP is not an outsider parachuted into Batu Kawah. 

He has been there, worked there and developed a relationship with the people there for years. And the voters have rewarded him accordingly.

Batu Kawah has a long history as a SUPP stronghold. The constituency was created in 1968 and has been represented in the Sarawak Legislative Assembly since the first state election in 1969. 

SUPP held the seat for decades, although DAP’s Christina Chiew Wang See captured it in 2011.

Dr Sim reclaimed Batu Kawah in 2016, defeating Chiew in a closely watched contest. He retained it in 2021 with a much more convincing 70.2 per cent of the votes.

So, yes, he has won the seat twice. But the more important question is not how many times he has won. It is why the voters have continued to support him.

Look at what has been happening in Batu Kawah under his stewardship.

Flood mitigation has understandably been a major priority. Major drainage upgrades in Desa Wira and Sinar Budi Baru have been undertaken, including projects worth more than RM11 million. 

A RM20 million drainage project at Desa Wira was also implemented, while detention ponds have been constructed as part of the broader flood-mitigation programme.

And the work continues. The Phase Two flood-mitigation project at Taman Desa Wira, costing RM36.6 million, includes a detention pond, pump house, upgraded roads and drainage, and a one-kilometre flood-protection wall. 

The wider investment in flood mitigation in Batu Kawah has now exceeded RM200 million.

This is not merely about building something and declaring the job finished. Dr Sim has repeatedly returned to the issue, inspected works and spoken about completing the remaining local drainage and retention-pond projects.

Then there is the development of Batu Kawah Riverbank Park and the continuing riverbank works. 

A proposed glass bridge linking Kampung Rantau Panjang with the riverfront park is intended to become part of an eventual three-kilometre scenic walkway.

There are also community facilities. Four community halls in Batu Kawah have recently received approval for upgrading and repair works costing RM365,500. 

Ten neighbourhood parks are under construction under the Rural Transformation Programme, involving RM3.82 million, while another RM900,000 recreational park is planned at the General Operations Force camp.

And perhaps the most ambitious of all is the proposed transformation of the old Ang Cheng Ho Quarry. 

The vision is to turn the area into a major lifestyle, recreational, commercial and tourism destination by 2030, incorporating a roughly 70-acre development with a quarry lake, landscaped urban parkland, water-based recreation, commercial facilities and other attractions. Phase Two alone carries a ceiling allocation of RM8 million.

This gives us an important clue about Dr Sim’s thinking. He is not merely talking about maintaining Batu Kawah. He is talking about transforming it.

His vision is for Batu Kawah to become a major commercial and recreational hub by 2030. That is something he and his constituents can work towards together.

And this, I suspect, is one reason why many voters tend to trust what he says. Promises are one thing. Delivering on them is another.

Dr Sim may not have solved every problem in Batu Kawah. No elected representative can but voters can see projects taking shape. 

They can see drains being upgraded, flood mitigation progressing, recreational facilities being added and the riverfront being developed.

That creates something more valuable than political rhetoric: credibility. Which brings us back to the coming Sarawak election.

GPS is widely expected to perform strongly. Political analysts have described GPS as being in a stronger position than it was in 2021, while the coalition retains the strategic advantage of deciding when to dissolve the state assembly.

The political environment is also generally favourable to GPS and its component parties, including SUPP. 

Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has expressed confidence that GPS can secure a commanding majority, regardless of whether the election is held under the existing 82-seat arrangement or an expanded 99-seat assembly.

But GPS should not become complacent. Even SUPP leaders have acknowledged that recent elections elsewhere are a reminder that voters care about the cost of living, economic performance and whether politicians actually deliver.

That is precisely why Batu Kawah is interesting. Here is a constituency where the incumbent can point to tangible work, ongoing projects and, perhaps most importantly, a clear future vision.

So, unless SUPP has a compelling strategic reason that I am unaware of, I see little logic in moving Dr Sim out of Batu Kawah.

I say let him finish what he has started. Let him continue working with the people who elected him. Batu Kawah is his political home. And at this point, there appears to be no good reason for him to leave home.

Just stay put, Dr Sim. Also bear in mind that the voters of Batu Kawah expect more from you over the next five years. 

So, jangan tengok saja, Sir. Somehow, I believe they know you won’t.

DISCLAIMER:

The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune. He can be reached at [email protected].