Sarawak DAP compares the differences and costs between Selangor and Sarawak flagpoles

KUCHING, March 9 2026: Sarawak DAP today compared the differences and costs between the recently unveiled Selangor flag pole with that of the Sarawak flagpole.

Caption: The Selangor flagpole and the Sarawak flagpole 

Michael Kong, Sarawak DAP  chairman Chong Chieng Jen’s political aide, said Selangor has recently unveiled its new 120-metre flagpole, reportedly the tallest in Southeast Asia, constructed at a cost of RM8.5 million.  

“This development raises serious questions regarding the 99-metre flagpole project in Sarawak, which has been widely reported to cost RM30 million.  

“For a project that is significantly shorter, the reported cost is more than three times higher than the flagpole recently completed in Selangor.

“This stark discrepancy deserves a clear and transparent explanation from the Sarawak government,” Kong said in a statement today.  

He noted that previously, based on estimations by professional engineers, he had stated that the cost of constructing a 99-metre flagpole should be in the range of approximately RM5.59 million to RM6.45 million.

He said the latest information from Selangor (where a taller 120-metre structure was completed for RM8.5 million) further reinforces that his earlier estimate was not unreasonable.  

“Yet until today, there has been no proper disclosure on the total cost breakdown of Sarawak’s 99-metre flagpole.

“More importantly, the public has also not been informed about the identity of the company that reportedly financed the project, nor the exact arrangement under which the project was undertaken,” he said.  

Kong noted that regardless of whether the funding is described as public or private, the Sarawak government has a duty to ensure that any funds spent on government projects are handled transparently and spent prudently.

He said public infrastructure projects cannot be shielded from scrutiny simply by claiming that they are privately funded.  

He asked the government what is the actual total cost of the 99-metre flagpole project, the detailed cost breakdown, thecompany or entity that paid for it and what the procurement or selection process was involved in the construction.

“Good governance requires accountability, transparency and prudent spending. When a project appears to cost several times more than comparable projects elsewhere, the government has a responsibility to explain how resources entrusted to it are being managed,” Kong said.