Official opening of the iconic Brooke Dockyard Industrial Heritage Museum

Members of the public and also visitors can now visit the newly opened Brooke Dockyard Industrial Heritage Museum at Jalan Masjid, Kuching which will boost the tourism attraction within our city and Sarawak. The new museum is also part of our Government’s efforts under its Third Sarawak Tourism Master Plan to increase tourist arrivals from 4.6 million to 12.7 million. 

With such visitors’ turnout, we are hoping for the tourism industry to generate an estimated RM50 billion in economic returns by 2035. Thus, the opening of the Brooke Dockyard Industrial Heritage Museum will certainly further enrich Sarawak’s portfolio of tourism destinations because it is filled with unique and engaging exhibits. The facility itself is over 100 years old and is expected to attract an extraordinary number of visitors, comparable to the impressive record achieved by Borneo Cultures Museum (BCM). 

Such initiative also supports the Sustainable and Responsible Tourism thrust, which focuses on nurturing social values through heritage preservation, encouraging cultural sharing, and promoting data-driven scientific thinking. We hope it will produce a generation of Sarawakians with strong cognitive foundations, ready to face the challenges of the modern world and capable of competing at the global level by the year 2030. 

The transformation of Brooke Dockyard into an industrial heritage museum was a high-impact initiative carried out in phases from 2020 to 2025, involving a total cost of approximately RM46.7 million. It is through this transformation, the well known Brooke Dockyard, which is the oldest and highly iconic shipyard in Malaysia, has taken on a new look in which it has shifted from an industrial site into a living archive showcasing the impact of the Industrial Revolution in Sarawak for present and future generations.

It showcases a collection of heavy machinery and equipment that once powered the dockyard’s daily operations, as well as unique engineering structures found in a dry dock including a replica of His Highness’ Yacht (HHY) Zahora that had previously symbolised the grandeur of the Brooke administration era. We thanked our right honourable Premier of Sarawak, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Abang Haji Openg for having graced the official opening ceremony.

Possible postponement of the 22nd Malaysia Games (SUKMAXXII) due to Middle East crisis

Recently there were news on the possible postponement of the 22nd edition of the Malaysia Games (SUKMA) and Sarawak will abide by as well as respect of any decision made by the organisers on this matter. Our media friends had seek my comments after the Sultan of Selangor, had called for the games in Selangor to be postponed due to the ongoing conflict in the West Asia. The proposal made by the Sultan of Selangor had involved a postponement rather than a cancellation, taking into account the current uncertain situation.

In Sarawak, the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development (MYSED) had not received any official decision from the Selangor Government or the Federal’s Ministry of Youth and Sports on the matter because it was informed through social media and news reports. We will abide by the decision to be made by Selangor even though Sarawak has made thorough preparations for the sporting event, including financial commitments as well as training preparations for athletes locally and abroad, in addition to efforts to inspect accommodation sites.

For the record, the hosting of this year’s SUKMA will involve nine districts in Selangor, so Sarawak have already conducted ground visits to all the locations to assess and determine suitable accommodation, including homestays, for the contingent. Although there would be disappointment if SUKMA2026 is postponed, the priority should be given to a collective decision that takes into account the current global situation.

Of course, we feel disappointed as a lot of effort and preparation has been made, but we leave it to the federal government, the Selangor state government, and the KBS to make the best decision. The Sultan of Selangor had also decreed that postponing the event would also be appropriate until the redevelopment of Shah Alam Stadium is fully completed. The organising of this year’s SUKMA by Selangor Government had required very high allocation

Over 5,000 delegates atGabungan Parti Sarawak Convention 2026 at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK)

Over 5,000 delegates from throughout the state had attended this year's Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) Convention which was held at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) with the official opening ceremony was graced by the right honourable Premier of Sarawak, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Abang Haji Openg.

The one-day convention was jointly organised by the coalition's four component parties had served as an important platform to strengthen unity as well as direction of our struggle in ensuring political stability and Sarawak's development continues to be strengthened. 

The convention brings together the party coalition through an important mandate that looks back on the journey of GPS since its establishment in 2018. My thanks to our media friends from TVS who had organised an interview for my comments and views on the much awaited convention for leaders as well as grassroot members of GPS. 

We have been united in facing various challenges under the leadership of our Premier together with respective component members but we have jointly been able to steer GPS safely to prosperity and stability.

We see from what has been done in the near future, whether it is the construction of bridges and the funds that have been obtained at that time. Even though we have differences of opinion within the component parties, such situation do not affect the common goal because all parties share the vision of seeing Sarawak continue to progress and to remain united.

The GPS 2026 convention had gathered leaders and delegates from across Sarawak, representing four component parties, namely the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), the Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP), the Sarawak People's Party (PRS) and the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP). Among the takeaways we had in the convention were the values ​​of trust and integrity as the foundation of leadership, our continuous fight for Sarawak's rights as mentioned by Premier of Sarawak's opening address.

Issue on the awarding of "Bumiputera" status brought up by our local Member of Parliament (MP)

The local social media fraternity was a buzz with comments and so called debate on the awarding of Bumiputera status which was brought up by a Member of Parliament (MP) from Sarawak itself which I had rebutted simply because there is no need to unnecessarily prolong the issue.

Such matter cannot be determined through public pressure or casual suggestions and any move to alter the definition of Bumiputera or native status in Sarawak must follow proper legal and constitutional process when there are clear provisions are already in place.

If you want to change these things, there are procedures. I know some people are saying third generation and all that, but we need to see what defines Bumiputera under the Federal Constitution. Sometimes I feel these kinds of proposals are just rhetoric. Maybe elections are coming, so perhaps representatives want to make such suggestions because their constituencies have more Bumiputera voters.

I have stressed to our media friends that while suggestions can be made, the current framework already provides broad recognition of native status, particularly in cases of mixed marriages. The Sarawak Constitution had also outlined on who qualifies as natives of Sabah and Sarawak.. Where one spouse is a native of Sabah or Sarawak, their child is eligible to acquire native status and related rights, including land ownership. Many may not realise and that already is very good enough.

My remarks were in response to Julau's MP, Datuk Larry Sng who had suggested for our Sarawak government consider granting Bumiputera status to third-generation Sarawakians of Chinese descent.The proposal recently sparked debate over the social media platform after Sng argued that families who have lived in Sarawak for generations be recognised for their long-standing contributions to the state. The MP had also cited the Interpretation (Amendment) Ordinance 2022, which allows children of mixed marriages to claim native status if one parent is native.

Proposed allocation of Sarawak's new state assembly seats circulating on social media fraternity

The social media fraternity was abuzz with rumours surrounding the proposed allocation of Sarawak’s 17 new state assembly seats which have yet to be approved by the relevant authorities and bodies in our country which may be the deliberate attempts by mischievous cyber troopers to create confusion and divert public attention. As the Information Chief of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), I was asked to comment on this matter but had politely dismissed claims that political parties had already secured the additional seats.

As I have mentioned to our media friends…suddenly, some people are saying, out of 17 seats, 10 are guaranteed for PBB, three for Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), and so on which I do not think PBB or SUPP has the authority to claim seats at this stage. There are no seats yet. I personally do not even know where the seats are.

During last year’s DUN Sitting in November, I was tasked to table the motion to increase the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) seats from 82 to 99, explained that the proposal still requires approval from our Parliament and the Election Commission (EC) before it can be finalised. After state assembly approval, it will be sent to Parliament for endorsement. Once approved, it becomes the EC’s responsibility to determine where the additional seats will be located.

I have called on the general public to be wary of misleading reports especially circulating on social media because perhaps these stories were released to create confusion) among us. We are still waiting for Parliament’s endorsement. Why should be stories about parties arguing over which seats they will get? It could be mischievous cyber troopers or even “actors” from Peninsular Malaysia trying to divert attention so that we quarrel instead of focusing on Parliament.

I have explained on the approval process of the proposed seats and also clarified that it must follow the legal procedures. Our state assembly has the power to propose state assembly seats…the EC can only determine the constituencies after going to the ground and displaying their proposals. The people have the right to decide.

For the record, the DUN motion received near-unanimous support, with only two Opposition members not backing it, and expressed confidence that Parliament would endorse the increase. Unless the Federal’s Minister of Law is unaware of the law, we do not have the authority to approve parliamentary seats. When I tabled the motion, it was only for the state to decide. Let the process go smoothly and Parliament will endorse it.