KUCHING, Aug 29 2026: Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) president Voon Lee Shan charged that it is dangerously misleading to claim that checks and balances can be maintained solely within the four component parties of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).
Caption: PBK president Voon Lee Shan says that an opposition is not merely an irritant; it is an essential,
independent mechanism in democracy to expose misconduct, challenge
corrupt or damaging agreements, and protect public interest.He explained that Cabinet ministers and government backbenchers are bound by party discipline, collective responsibility and oaths of confidentiality or secrecy, adding those obligations require them however unpleasant, to defend government decisions publicly and to withhold internal deliberations.
“In practice, that means any wrongdoing by ministers—including crimes, corrupt deals, or grossly unfavourable contracts — can be known within the corridors of power yet never see the light of day,” he said in a statement.
He was responding to Kota Sentosa State Legislative Member Wilfred Yap's recent statement.
Voon said the reason such matters sometimes come to light is not because internal discipline works, but because someone leaks, defies the oath, or an independent opposition forces disclosure.
“An opposition is not merely an irritant; it is an essential, independent mechanism in democracy to expose misconduct, challenge corrupt or damaging agreements, and protect public interest.
“Where there is no genuine opposition, the only remaining deterrent is the fear of being caught — a weak, reactive safeguard that depends on chance, whistleblowers, or external investigators.
“Fear is not a substitute for robust institutional checks; it is the condition under which abuse of power flourishes,” Voon stressed.
He said any decision about land, resources, and contracts with foreign and local companies must withstand independent scrutiny.
“Without it, any contract that shortchange Sarawak or enrich cronies can be negotiated and approved behind closed doors, defended publicly by loyalists obliged to “zip their mouths” or face political consequences.
“ That is not accountability, but a collusion by silence,” he said.
Voon said PBK rejects any suggestion that internal party arrangements can replace a free and fearless opposition.
“We insist on true transparency, on parliamentary and public oversight, and on protections for whistleblowers so that decisions harming Sarawak’s interests can be exposed and corrected.
“Democracy is not safe when dissent is folded into the government; it is only safe when there exists an effective, independent opposition that can uncover wrongdoing and hold power to account,” he said.
Voon said Yap cannot convince Sarawakians that secrecy and party loyalty equal accountability, saying “If our leaders are confident their conduct and contracts are lawful and in Sarawak’s interest, they should welcome scrutiny — not hide behind a veneer of internal checks,” he said.
Yap, in a statement, argued that there was no need for the opposition to take the role of checks and balances, pointing out that GPS already had its own internal checks and balances through its four component parties - Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP).
He said GPS’s composition allowed different communities and regions to be represented, with the component parties engaging through consultation, discussion and consensus on issues affecting Sarawak and its people.
