KUCHING: Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap Yau Sin has called for greater emphasis on proactive governance and systemic reform to improve the delivery of public services.
Responding to recent allegations by Michael Kong Feng Nian, the special assistant to Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen, Yap clarified that his remarks during a Sin Chew Daily interview had been taken out of context.
He stressed that his advice for the public to first channel complaints through government platforms such as Talikhidmat was intended to encourage timely resolutions at the source.
“My message was clear — issues should first be raised directly with the relevant authorities to strengthen accountability and efficiency,” he said in his statement recently.
Yap explained that his role as an elected representative remains crucial when existing channels fail, as he is committed to escalating unresolved issues to higher authorities.
“This approach ensures that problems are addressed at the root level, while holding agencies responsible for service delivery,” he said, adding that mischaracterising this strategy as neglectful was both irresponsible and misleading.
He expressed disappointment that Kong and his DAP supporters had overlooked the broader objective of empowering the public to use formal complaint mechanisms while ensuring a safeguard against bureaucratic failure.
“To reduce elected representatives to mere middlemen without addressing systemic inefficiencies does a disservice to the people,” he pointed out.
Yap reaffirmed his commitment to assist his constituents and called for continuous efforts to foster competency, accountability, and transparency across all levels of government.
