(Kuching, 26th) Dato' Dr. Ngu Piew Seng , President of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Sibu Province and President of the Seng Boon Kiang Chinese Chamber of Commerce, strongly agrees with the views of Datuk Cheng Mingzhi, Central Vice Chairman of the Sarawak People's Association and Deputy Minister of Sarawak Public Health, Housing and Local Government, namely that the shortcomings and mistakes of the government, especially within the ruling team and community leaders appointed by officials, must be frankly pointed out.
He stated that Cheng Mingzhi’s comments highlighted the core issue of Sarawak’s current social development, particularly the prevalent "ya botol" culture among appointed community leaders. This culture not only undermines trust between the government and the people but also severely hinders progress and development in society.
Cheng Mingzhi recently spoke at a Christmas party organized by the Sarawak People's Association South Jia Branch, emphasizing that party members and community leaders should dare to point out areas where the Sarawak government is "not doing enough" and be straightforward about "things done poorly."
He believes that the party and government serve the people and that party members, as a bridge, should actively reflect public opinion and strive for the interests of the people. Cheng Mingzhi urged party cadres to speak frankly to earn the respect of the people.
Regarding this, Dato' Dr. Ngu Piew Seng expressed agreement and further pointed out that many appointed community leaders are deeply entrenched in the "ya botol" culture.
He criticized these leaders for being obsequious to superiors and flattering, accustomed to saying what leaders like to hear and afraid to speak the truth, fearing the loss of positions or promotion opportunities. "These leaders take the people's hard-earned money but only care about personal interests, ignoring grassroots issues."
He noted that such phenomena not only weaken the transparency of government policies but also severely damage the rights and interests of grassroots people, even eroding the internal ecology of the ruling team.
"We cannot let the 'ya botol' culture become a social norm. True leaders for the people's welfare must face problems head-on and speak for the people, rather than becoming the appendages of those in power."
Dato' Dr. Ngu Piew Seng emphasized that community leaders and the ruling team should undertake the role of bridging the government and the people, truly reflecting public opinion and promoting policy improvement instead of merely catering to the preferences of superiors.
He called for Sarawak to have a group of responsible leaders who dare to address issues and promote improvement, rather than pursuing personal gain as appendages. Only in this way can society move towards a more equitable and transparent future.
He emphasized that social development requires honesty and courage. He urged leaders to reflect on the "ya botol" culture, rid themselves of the vices of flattery, and place the interests of the people first.
"As an appointed community leader, you bear the important duty of reflecting grassroots public opinion, and you should have a sense of responsibility and accountability, daring to raise issues and promote solutions. Reforming the 'ya botol' culture is not only needed for social progress but also a respect and commitment to the people."
He said the value and responsibility of a leader should be reflected in actual actions for the people's welfare, not in flattering and covering up issues.
Dato' Dr. Ngu Piew Seng stated that he will continue to fulfill his social responsibilities, listen to and reflect the voices of the people, and spare no effort to promote the progress and prosperity of Sarawak.
He also urged intellectuals and people from all sectors of society to actively participate in monitoring government governance, speak out boldly, and work together to build a more just, transparent, and accountable social environment.
He quoted Einstein's famous saying for mutual encouragement: "Intellectuals must express their attitudes toward all unreasonable phenomena in the world; otherwise, they are complicit."