By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Sept 4: Calls by the Democratic Action Party Socialist Youth (DAPSY) for the Sarawak government to directly engage Indonesia over the transboundary haze issue expose a lack of understanding of constitutional boundaries and international diplomacy, according to political secretary to the Premier of Sarawak, Afiq Fikri Ibrahim.
In a statement yesterday (Sept 3), Afiq said DAPSY Stampin chief Lim Kai Bin’s proposal for the Sarawak government to bypass established diplomatic channels and intervene directly in foreign relations was misplaced, stressing that international relations fall under the jurisdiction of the federal government.
“The transboundary haze is an international issue that falls strictly under a Government-to-Government (G2G) framework between the federal government of Malaysia and the Government of the Republic of Indonesia,” he said.
Afiq pointed out that Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg had already personally raised the matter with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, placing the responsibility on Putrajaya to pursue the issue through the appropriate diplomatic mechanisms.
He argued that DAPSY’s public call for the Sarawak government to step outside its constitutional mandate was effectively an admission that the federal government had not acted swiftly enough on the matter.
“Does DAPSY have so little confidence in the federal government and the Prime Minister’s leadership within ASEAN?” he asked.
Afiq further contended that the criticism highlighted DAP’s own shortcomings in bringing Sarawak’s concerns to the federal level, despite the party’s representation in Parliament and the Federal Cabinet.
He questioned why DAP, as a component of the federal administration, had not utilised its position to push for stronger action on the haze issue through Cabinet channels.
“DAP has both Members of Parliament and Cabinet Ministers sitting at the highest levels of the federal administration, alongside Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS). If DAP cannot raise and resolve critical regional issues through the federal government, what is the point of DAP being in the federal government at all?” he said.
Afiq maintained that resolving the transboundary haze problem requires careful and strategic diplomacy rather than public political pressure, noting that Indonesia was already facing scrutiny from both foreign governments and its own citizens over recurring haze episodes.
He said DAPSY was free to pressure the Indonesian government directly if it believed public criticism was the most effective approach, but stressed that political rhetoric would not solve the problem.
“Playing political games will not clear the air. Transboundary haze is a complex, long-standing challenge that requires constructive international diplomacy,” he said.
Afiq added that the federal government must take the lead in ensuring Indonesia fulfils its commitments to prevent and mitigate transboundary haze, describing diplomatic engagement as the most effective avenue for achieving a lasting solution. — DayakDaily
