Sarawak PKR accuses GPS ruling politicians of interfering in community chief appointments ahead of the upcoming Sarawak State Elections.
MIRI: Sarawak’s Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) has levelled serious allegations against politicians from the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) state government, accusing them of interfering in the appointment of grassroots community leaders during the critical lead-up to the Sarawak State Elections.
At the centre of the controversy is a recent state government directive requiring all community chiefs — including longhouse headmen and kampung penghulu — to hold a minimum Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) qualification. Sibuti PKR branch chief Louis Japi described the policy as neither fair nor practical, particularly for rural communities across the state.
“There are many chieftains who are more than capable of leading their communities by virtue of their lived experience and the trust placed in them by the people at the grassroots level, regardless of their formal academic qualifications,” Louis said in a statement.
He argued that the SPM requirement is being used as a political mechanism to install GPS-aligned individuals into influential community positions ahead of the looming state polls — a move he characterised as cronyism and a direct form of political interference.
“This is a method being used by ruling politicians to plant politically-connected chieftains into grassroots communities. Sarawak PKR strongly objects to this and calls on the state government to withdraw the directive immediately,” he said.
The stakes are considerable. Sarawak is home to more than 6,000 native longhouses and over 10,000 Malay kampungs, and the headmen and leaders of these settlements wield significant influence over their residents — making their political leanings a matter of strategic importance in any election campaign.
Louis warned that allowing partisan interests to dictate the selection of community leaders would erode public trust in government institutions and undermine the very fabric of the communities these leaders are meant to serve.
“The appointment of community leaders is not the exclusive right of any political party or ruling politicians. It should be determined by the communities themselves. Using politics to decide who holds these positions is tantamount to disrespecting the rakyat,” he said, adding that cronyism in such appointments would damage the long-term credibility of the institution.
The allegations come as political temperatures rise across Sarawak, with parties from across the political divide stepping up their ground preparations. There is growing speculation that GPS may call for state elections shortly after the Gawai Dayak festivities in June. The current term of the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly is set to expire on December 18.
The Sun Malaysia
