KUCHING, March 10 2026: A Facebook post by Jiwa Rakyat has come up with reasons why the cost of the Sarawak flagpole is RM30 million compared to the RM8.5 million for the Selangor flagpole.
The Sarawak flagpole costs higher due to larger project scope, Jiwa Rakyat explained, adding the Selangor flagpole is a standalone pole.
It added the issue of cost comparison between flagpole projects in Sarawak and Selangor is often raised on social media.
“Some question why the project at Dataran Ibu Pertiwi costs more than the project at Kelab Shah Alam.
“However, when viewed holistically, the cost difference is actually due to the much larger scope of development in Sarawak,” Jiwa Rakyat said.
It went to explain that the different project scope: The project at Dataran Ibu Pertiwi is not just about building a flagpole.
With a cost of around RM30 million, the project includes several development components such as:
- Construction of a 99-metre-high flagpole
- Development of a recreational park
- Construction of a tea house
- Riverfront jetty on the banks of the Sarawak River
- Landscaping and public facilities
On the other hand, the flagpole project at Kelab Shah Alam which cost around RM8.5 million is more focused on building a 120-metre-high flagpole without developing additional facilities around it.
Different funding sources
In addition, the funding sources are also not the same. The project in Dataran Ibu Pertiwi was reportedly implemented through corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives by energy industry companies such as Petronas, Shell and Petros.
Meanwhile, the project in Shah Alam used allocations from the Selangor state government.
Need to look at the entire project
Therefore, making a comparison only based on the height of the flagpole without taking into account other development components can cause misunderstandings among the community.
The fact is, the project in Sarawak involves the development of a tourist icon area, not just a flagpole structure.
Open for investigation
At the same time, if there are still parties who doubt the implementation of the project, they are welcome to make a report to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to enable the investigation to be conducted transparently.
This step is more appropriate than continuing to generate speculation without complete facts.
Importantly, every development project needs to be viewed comprehensively based on the scope, facilities built and sources of financing, not just cost figures.
Yesterday, Michael Kong, Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen’s political aide, stated that Selangor has recently unveiled its new 120-metre flagpole, reportedly the tallest in Southeast Asia, constructed at a cost of RM8.5 million.
He said 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.
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