Serian DAP deputy chairman Brolin Nicholsion said Sarawak’s future cannot be secured by rejecting parties solely on their geographical base.

He said local parties in Sarawak had compromised the state’s rights by aligning with national powers, while Sarawak DAP had consistently played the role of a watchdog by holding the state government accountable and defending the special rights of Sarawakians.

Brolin was responding to a statement by former state opposition leader Wong Soon Koh, who claimed today that external political forces were “seeking to expand their influence” in the state.

Wong, who is senior vice-president of the Progressive Democratic Party, said it was crucial to ensure the state remained in the hands of Sarawakians. He said division would only weaken their position.

However, Brolin urged Sarawak parties to move beyond “the outdated rhetoric of exclusion” to focus on policies that were of benefit to the people.

He rejected the belief that peninsula-based parties would jeopardise Sarawak’s unity. He said Sarawak Pakatan Harapan had never attempted to disrupt state autonomy but had “supported policies that safeguard our interests”.