KUCHING, June 10 2026: Julau Member of Parliament Larry Sng has asked that past leaders who helped shape the state be accorded the respect and recognition they deserve, not just the later leaders.
He said as Sarawak continues to mature as a confident and self-governing region, it is important that “we also take time to reflect on how we honour the leaders who built the foundations of our state.”
“Today, much recognition is rightly accorded to the contributions of our later chief ministers,” Sng, who is also Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) president, said in his Facebook post.
“However, we should also ask whether sufficient recognition has been given to Sarawak’s earliest chief ministers, particularly the late Stephen Kalong Ningkan and Penghulu Tawi Sli, who led Sarawak during some of the most important years in our history.
“It is also worth noting that while later chief ministers have been accorded the state’s highest honour, the Satria Bintang Sarawak (Pehin Sri), our earliest chief ministers did not receive equivalent recognition.
“This observation is not intended to diminish the achievements of any subsequent leader,” he said, adding that rather, it raises a broader question of historical balance and fairness in how “we remember those who served Sarawak.”
He said the Dayaks remain the largest ethnic community in Sarawak and have contributed immensely to the state’s development.
He said recognising the sacrifices and achievements of the early Dayak chief ministers is therefore not merely a matter of ethnic representation.
“It is about ensuring that the story of Sarawak is told in full, and that all those who helped shape our state are accorded the respect and recognition they deserve.
“History should not be viewed through the lens of who came later or who held power longer. Instead, we should honour every generation of leaders according to their contribution.
“In doing so, we strengthen our shared Sarawakian identity and ensure that no chapter of our history is forgotten,” Sng said.
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