S'wak DAP Youth tells critics to stop blaming Putrajaya for legacy failures

Summary

• Sarawak DAP Youth treasurer Wong King Yii rebukes state assemblyperson Wilfred Yap for dismissing the federal government’s reduction of new borrowings.

• Wong says Yap’s party shares responsibility for Sarawak’s past underdevelopment.

• Wong highlights that the Sarawak government enjoyed decades of political alignment with Putrajaya, yet basic infrastructure and services were long neglected.

Sarawak DAP Youth pushed back against criticism of the federal government’s success in reducing borrowing, telling detractors to take responsibility for the state’s underdevelopment instead of placing the blame solely on Putrajaya.

Treasurer Wong King Yii rebuked Kota Sentosa assemblyperson Wilfred Yap Yau Sin, who earlier said a reduction in borrowings means nothing to Sarawakians who live without basic essentials.

“If Sarawak has felt left behind, we must ask the real question: who was in charge all these years?

“The Sarawak government - of which Yap’s party is part of - enjoyed decades of full political alignment with the federal government.

“Yet during that time, basic infrastructure, healthcare, education, and equitable development in many parts of Sarawak were neglected.

“The question isn’t why Sarawak is only getting attention now - it’s why nothing was done before,” Wong said in a statement today.

Unmeaningful progress

Yesterday, Yap said a reduction in new borrowings did not equate to meaningful progress while Sarawak remained underfunded and marginalised.

“A reduction from RM99 billion to RM77 billion in new borrowings is still RM77 billion of new debt,” Yap said, adding that Malaysia’s total debt continued to rise while the federal government failed to honour key promises under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

The Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) politician criticised Putrajaya for what he called “fiscal cosmetics”, arguing that rural Sarawak still lacked basic infrastructure like proper roads, electricity, water supply, and functioning schools and clinics.

However, Wong called Yap’s attack “misplaced”, saying the reduction in new borrowings was in fact a sign of responsible governance.

“It means less public debt, stronger investor confidence, and a healthier economy for future generations.

“If anything, this is precisely the kind of financial discipline we need to ensure there’s actually money left for meaningful development - including in Sarawak,” he asserted.

Recent milestones

Wong further pointed to recent milestones under the coalition government, which he said represented concrete progress for Sarawak, including:

• The handing over of Bintulu Port to the Sarawak government,

• MASwings now under the state’s control,

• The resolution of a long-standing dispute between Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) and Petroleum Sarawak Bhd (Petros), and

• The increase of annual grants to the state under Article 112D of the Federal Constitution.

“Importantly, all of this was achieved while the federal government reduced borrowings - not increased them,” he added.

On July 21, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that the government had succeeded in bringing down the annual debt to RM77 billion in 2024 from RM99 billion in 2022.

Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said only the interest payments on old debts have not yet been reduced.

COMMENT | A freer and more equal Malaysia?

Budget 2025 reactions from ministers, state govts

Govt's sudden axing of S'wak conservation project stuns int'l donors

S'wak electricity export to S'pore raised at leaders retreat

Fadhlina denies claims of delayed school repairs in Sarawak

LETTER | Allocate equitable development funds to all reps in S’wak