Parti Bumi Kenyalang expresses deep concern over recent developments under the GPS administration, particularly the substantial allocation in the State Budget to provide allowances to media personnel and journalists(Media Allocation)— while the poor, the homeless, farmers, and citizens forced to occupy vacant land continue to be neglected. 

This prioritisation of the media raises a critical question: Why is the media placed first while those who are struggling are not given proper assistance?

 Even more worrying, such actions open the door to the misuse of media as a tool for government propaganda. When the media becomes dependent on the government, their freedom and ability to report objectively become limited. Meanwhile, the voices of the opposition, which bring positive and constructive ideas, may be sidelined.

 When the media is turned into an instrument to control political narratives, democracy begins to crumble. The world has shown many recent examples of how government control over media leads to oppression, conflict, poverty, and the suffering of the people.

 Recent examples of countries affected by government media control include:

 Belarus – Media consolidated under government control; independent journalists arrested and independent newspapers shut down following the 2020 election.

 Myanmar – After the 2021 coup, the junta shut down independent media, arrested journalists, restricted internet access, and banned reports critical of the military.

 Azerbaijan – Independent journalists imprisoned and free media systematically suppressed.

 Kyrgyzstan – New media laws restrict ownership, require all media to register, and impose heavy penalties for “false information,” described by human rights groups as an attempt to silence critics.

 What does this mean for Sarawak?

If the GPS government continues to prioritise media funding without ensuring editorial independence, Sarawak risks heading in the same direction — where the media no longer functions as a check and balance, but merely as a mouthpiece for those in power. The people wilremain poorly informed, while dissenting voices are silenced.

 Parti Bumi Kenyalang emphasises that:

 Public funds must be used transparently,

 Assistance to the media must not compromise their independence,

 And most importantly, the welfare of the poor, farmers, the homeless, and those truly in need must never be overlooked.

 Remember: when the media becomes a tool of the government, truth is sacrificed. Democracy loses its meaning. The voice of the people is erased. And the most vulnerable will suffer the heaviest consequences.

 Parti Bumi Kenyalang appreciates the work of the journalists and remains committed to fighting for media freedom, social justice, and the right of the people to access truthful information and to live with dignity.