By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Jan 31: Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) president Dato Sri Tiong King Sing has accused Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) of political disrespect and an attempt to dominate PDP constituencies following the appointment of community leaders and tuai rumah (longhouse chiefs) in Dudong and Bawang Assan, alleging that consensus reached earlier was overridden through unilateral actions.
In a statement responding to a recent ceremony where appointment letters were handed out by Deputy Premier and SUPP president Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian, Tiong said the move sidelined PDP’s role and undermined agreed decision-making processes within the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition.
Tiong, who is Dudong assemblyman and Bintulu MP, said that if SUPP truly believed PDP’s participation was unnecessary, including in upcoming elections, it should state so openly instead of resorting to “unilateral behind-the-scenes actions”.
“These appointments were transparently discussed by the Selection Committee, and consensus had already been reached during that meeting. However, several candidates were added, removed, or even replaced without authorisation,” he said, describing the move as “a slap in the face” to consensus-based decision-making.
He added that if such practices continued, there was little point in maintaining the Selection Committee, suggesting it should be dissolved so that decisions could be made unilaterally.
Tiong, who is also the Minister of Tourism, Art and Culture, stressed that any appointment of community leaders or tuai rumah must proceed with the consent of the local elected representatives, a principle he said had been bypassed in this case.
“Dr Sim has chosen to bypass PDP’s elected representatives. This is clearly a political disrespect. It violates our cultural and political norms and humiliates our coalition partnership in GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak),” he said.
He further emphasised that the authority to appoint community leaders belongs to the longhouse communities and grassroots, not to any political party.
“It has never been the political asset of any party, and no single party can monopolise or manipulate it,” he said, warning that such actions would deepen social divisions and provoke confrontation.
Tiong also raised concerns over the reappointment of certain individuals whom he claimed had lost the trust of the people, including some Kapitans who were allegedly absent during recent floods.
“These were individuals the grassroots demanded to be replaced. Yet after the selection process was completed in line with established procedures, the decision was overturned at the last minute in the name of the State Secretary,” he said, questioning whether the move served personal or party political interests.
He described the incident as a political overreach that violated long-standing norms within GPS, adding that PDP leaders were only informed at the very last moment about the ceremony, which resulted in their absence.
“This is nothing less than a deliberate act of humiliation that we cannot tolerate,” he said.
While stating that it was not his intention to offend anyone, Tiong said respect must be mutual and earned through proper conduct.
He warned that the incident violated the spirit of unity, discipline and collective leadership long upheld by GPS, cautioning that allowing such behaviour to continue would set a destructive precedent.
“This is not partnership; it is an outright attempt to dominate others,” he said.— DayakDaily
