By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, July 22: “Where is the unity in the Madani government when Democratic Action Party (DAP) continues to undermine Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS)?” asked Batu Kitang assemblyman Dato Lo Khere Chiang in response to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s recent remarks praising coalition unity within the federal administration.
In a press statement, Lo pointed out the contradiction between Anwar’s claims and DAP Sarawak’s continued attacks on GPS, questioning the sincerity of the so-called unity among coalition partners.
“We take note of Prime Minister YAB Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s recent remarks at the Madani government retreat in Port Dickson, where he claimed the current administration is ‘strong because of unity among its coalition partners’.
“He (Anwar) even thanked Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and GPS chief whip Dato Sri Fadillah Yusof for their ‘unwavering spirit of unity’.
“But we must ask, what unity is YAB Datuk Seri Anwar referring to, when DAP Sarawak continues its sustained attacks on GPS?” Lo asserted.
Lo recalled that in January 2023, DAP’s national leader Anthony Loke came to Sarawak to apologise and promised a ‘reset’ in relations, followed by a subsequent apology from Lim Guan Eng.
“Yet that apology was swiftly discredited by their actions. Since then, DAP Sarawak has done nothing but oppose GPS at every turn, casting doubt on state-led initiatives, and repeatedly undermining Sarawak’s leadership,” he claimed.
He further asserted that had the apology been sincere, DAP would have stepped aside to allow Sarawak-based parties to lead.
“Instead, we see one face on Monday issuing apologies, and another on Friday launching fresh attacks. That is not sincerity. That is political theatre, staged for public relations, not rooted in principle.”
Lo stressed that Sarawak does not lack opposition voices, citing Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) as an example of a local party.
“It is everyone’s democratic right to question and challenge policies. But when that crosses into misrepresenting facts and misleading the public, especially for political gain, that is not constructive opposition. That is deception, and it undermines public trust.”
“Rather than constructively addressing this disruptive behaviour, DAP’s national leadership and the Prime Minister continue to speak glowingly of the Unity government, praising ‘coalition unity’ and ‘shared values’. But words alone cannot paper over actions that contradict them,” Lo claimed.
He also claimed that narratives linked to Peninsular Malaysia were being used to sow division within Sarawak’s political landscape, citing unverified reports of alleged friction between state leaders.
Lo then called on DAP Sarawak leaders to consider establishing local-based parties should they wish to remain politically active in Sarawak, rather than aligning themselves with Malayan-centric narratives. — DayakDaily
