SUPP president: Don’t hide behind ‘check and balance’, show results

Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian

By Karen Bong

KUCHING, Nov 12: Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) president Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian has taken aim at the opposition, saying elected representatives should not hide behind the excuse of providing checks and balances but must demonstrate tangible results, as the rakyat have the power to assess their performance every five years.

He said the five-year electoral cycle provided the people with a clear opportunity to decide whether their elected representatives had delivered on their responsibilities.

“The bigger check and balance is very simple: every five years is your check and balance. If you don’t think the YB (elected representative) is doing well, every five years you go and check and balance,” he said when speaking to reporters after the groundbreaking ceremony for the Batu Kawa-Stephen Yong road project at Moyan on Wednesday (Nov 11).

Dr Sim, who is also Deputy Premier and Batu Kawa incumbent, recalled that Batu Kawa had previously been part of the opposition’s political stronghold and said its development over the past decade should be assessed against its earlier condition.

“Last time Batu kawa is part of the check and balance, right? But is Batu kawa now better than 10 years ago or not? And do they produce result or not?,” he said.

He also questioned the effectiveness of opposition representation, challenging opposition parties to show concrete achievements rather than relying on the argument that their presence alone provided checks and balances.

“Show us the results. Don’t just hide and say, ‘You vote for me because of check and balance.’ But check and balance is the rakyat’s responsibility. Very simple, every five years is the chance to check and balance,” he said.

He said elected leaders should work continuously throughout their term rather than wait until an election approaches.

“When election comes, all you can do is announce only, but there are no results. We work non-stop. The moment you are elected, we start working. It is not only when the election comes that you want to start work,” he said.

Dr Sim said Batu Kawa had undergone significant transformation over the past decade, alongside Sarawak’s wider development, and expressed confidence that the constituency would enter another period of progress over the next five years.

“Over the last 10 years, not only has Sarawak been transformed, but Batu Kawa has also been transformed. The next five years will be another golden Batu Kawa,” he said.

Citing improvements in local infrastructure, he said drainage works had been completed in several residential areas, including RPR Batu Kawa, Desa Wira, Kampung Rantau Panjang and Sinar Budi.

While acknowledging that more work remained, he said substantial progress had already been made and urged critics to recognise the time and effort required to deliver infrastructure projects.

He questioned opposition expectations that projects should be completed immediately, challenging them to demonstrate how they would deliver such developments.

“I just find it hard to believe that people can say all sorts of things and expect projects to be done tomorrow. You ask them to show us how to do it,” he said.

Dr Sim also questioned claims that Sarawak’s development record was inadequate, asking why other parts of Malaysia continued to look to the State and its Premier for leadership if the administration was not delivering.

“DAP have 40 MPs (members of parliament) in Putrajaya, what sort of check and balance are they doing?,” he asked.

Dr Sim maintained that elected representatives should be judged by their track record and the improvements they had brought to their constituencies.

“Don’t disguise yourself as check and balance but produce results. Show your report card. Sarawak has done so much,” he said. — DayakDaily