{
  "id": 19959445,
  "title": "Voters can act as check and balance, says Sarawak speaker",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/14/voters-can-act-as-check-and-balance-says-sarawak-speaker",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-14T09:21:59.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/11/14/voters-can-act-as-check-and-balance-says-sarawak-speaker"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "State of Sarawak's Speaker Asfia Awang Nasar emphasized that the responsibility of ensuring checks and balances lies with the voters and not political parties. According to the state's Communications Unit, it is up to the voters to elect their representatives, and the role of other political parties is to convince them of their ability to perform the checks and balances function. The statement was made by Komunikasi Awam Sarawak, Sarawak's communications unit, in reference to parties outside the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS). Speaker Asfia also highlighted that young professionals within the GPS could provide checks and balances from within the coalition, particularly through voicing their views and offering constructive criticism. In a previous statement, State Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah suggested that GPS backbenchers would act as a pressure group, similar to the opposition, if the coalition secured a clean sweep in the upcoming state election on December 12. Karim had previously stated that the GPS state government maintains adequate checks and balances, despite concerns over the absence of a strong opposition party.",
  "summary": "Asfia Awang Nasar says the people hold the power to elect their representatives.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}