Tiong claimed that Sarawak’s public health, housing and local government ministry, headed by Sim, had ignored repeated calls to dredge and improve drainage in the area, which he said had contributed to the problem.

He said the collapse of the shophouse was not an “accident”, but the result of long-term soil erosion caused by poor drainage, Dayak Daily reported.

The incident took place at Jalan Pahlawan on Feb 13, but no casualties were reported.

Tiong, who is the federal tourism minister, said several areas in Sibu have shown house subsidence, waterlogged roads and soft soil, indicating systemic geological degradation.

He also said he had alerted the Sibu municipal council about the problem before the last state election, but no action had been taken.

His remarks drew brickbats from six Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) branches in Sibu. Sim is the SUPP president.

In a joint statement, the six branches said Tiong’s statement was “politically motivated and potentially misleading”.

They said the affected shophouse fell under the approval of then minister Wong Soon Koh, now a PDP senior vice-president.

Tiong’s latest salvo against Sim follows his criticism of the appointments of community leaders and longhouse chiefs in Sibu.

Tiong accused Sim, his fellow Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) vice-chairman, of being power hungry and crossing political boundaries by purportedly meddling with these appointments.

Tensions between the two GPS parties have been rising, especially after three assemblymen from the now-dissolved Parti Sarawak Bersatu joined PDP, taking with them three traditional SUPP seats.