‘Sarawak must stay the course on its development, not be swayed by federal appointments’

MIRI (Dec 22): Sarawak must remain focused on charting its own development path and not be swayed by symbolic federal appointments, said Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Central Publicity and Information secretary Adam Yii.

He said the appointment of two MPs from Pakatan Harapan Sarawak as deputy ministers should be viewed with caution, and that the move was driven more by political calculations than a genuine commitment to Sarawak’s long-term development.

“While the appointments may appear to signal greater recognition of Sarawak’s voice at the federal level, a closer look at the broader political landscape suggests otherwise.

“The move comes in the wake of Pakatan Harapan’s poor showing in a Sabah by-election, which has heightened concerns within the coalition over maintaining political stability in Sarawak ahead of the next state election.

“The intention is clearly to create the impression that Sarawak is being valued, to pacify supporters, and to provide a political lifeline for Pakatan Harapan Sarawak,” he said in a statement yesterday.

The Miri mayor stressed that Sarawakians must remain clear-eyed, and that Sarawak’s longstanding struggle has been for real authority and autonomy, including rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and greater decision-making over areas such as energy and education, as well as a fairer share of federal revenue.

“Sarawak is now at a critical stage of development, with initiatives spanning the hydrogen economy, green industries, renewable energy, education autonomy, digital transformation, and rural infrastructure upgrades.

“All these efforts are guided by the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030, therefore we must shift focus from who the federal government appoints to what Sarawak truly needs,” he said.

He said over the years, the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government has demonstrated political stability, effective execution, and long-term planning while federal political arrangements often change with circumstances and electoral considerations.

“Sarawak has already proven that only by freeing itself from the push and pull of Peninsula politics can it maintain policy continuity, attract global investment and achieve meaningful economic transformation,” he said.

Yii emphasised Sarawak’s future should not be measured by the number of federal positions held by Sarawkians, but by the collective determination to put Sarawak first.

“Sarawak is already on the path of take-off. What we need now is the resolve to stay focused and continue moving forward on our own development trajectory,” he said.