Dexter Kiew

SIBU (May 29): Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Dudong branch organising vice secretary Dexter Kiew has advised Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) Youth against misidentifying political allies and opponents, warning that they risk giving the impression of acting as a front-line shield for the Democratic Action Party (DAP).

In a statement, Kiew said remarks made by SUPP Dudong branch chairman Wong Ching Yong during a recent pre-Gawai gathering were specifically directed at the incumbent DAP MP, stressing the importance of elected representatives maintaining a physical presence in their constituencies rather than relying solely on officers to engage with voters.

He said the remarks had drawn a response from PDP National Youth Movement Assistant Secretary Eric Fung, who countered that long-term physical presence on the ground is not necessarily an indicator of an elected representative’s competence.

Kiew said Wong had emphasised that hard work and integrity remained the foundation of SUPP and the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition, adding that PDP president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, as part of GPS leadership, was also aligned with these principles of public service.

He said PDP Youth’s reaction had created two negative public perceptions — firstly, that PDP was being overly sensitive and portraying its own leader as an “absentee representative”, and secondly, that PDP, despite being a GPS component party, appeared to be indirectly aligning with DAP in criticising SUPP.

Kiew pointed out that voters generally expect elected representatives to maintain visibility in their constituencies, adding that Wong’s remarks reflected genuine grassroots concerns from the Lanang parliamentary constituency.

He stressed that as GPS component parties, SUPP and PDP had consistently worked together to serve local communities, and that SUPP fully recognised Tiong’s contributions and performance as Dudong assemblyman.

While acknowledging that a mature political coalition requires division of responsibilities, Kiew said such arrangements must not be used to justify prolonged absence from constituencies or to dismiss public concerns as “political drivel”.

Responding to comparisons made by PDP Youth between Wong’s track record and that of MPs, assemblymen and federal ministers, Kiew described the comparison as an “ironically high compliment”, saying Wong had consistently gone beyond his means to serve the Lanang area.

He also referred to the 2021 state election, claiming that Wong had been affected by political sabotage which led to his candidacy being revoked just before polling, despite what he described as strong grassroots support.

Kiew added that SUPP would continue to support coalition unity but would not hesitate to scrutinise opposition lawmakers, particularly from DAP, ahead of the next elections.

“SUPP will never turn its back on our own coalition allies, just as we firmly trust that PDP would not stab us in the back. However, the PDP Youth appears to have a fundamental misunderstanding of political boundaries,” he said.

He added that public scrutiny of elected representatives would intensify as the General Election and Sarawak state election approach, and warned against misinterpreting cross-party interactions as political alignment.

“If PDP continues to act as a shield for DAP as they have done this time, they will only drag down the GPS coalition and reduce themselves to a political laughing stock in the eyes of the electorate,” he said.

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