KOTA KINABALU: Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sabah chairman Stephen Wong’s remark that even he could not guarantee himself to be fielded as a candidate proved that the DAP state committee is indeed under the control of its Peninsular headquarters, said Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Supreme Council member Datuk Wong Kon Fan.
Wong pointed out that Stephen had inadvertently admitted that the DAP Sabah committee was not even empowered to decide on its own candidates.
“All candidates proposed by DAP Sabah has to be filtered and given the green light by its Peninsular headquarters.”
It proves that DAP headquarters in West Malaysia has to approve any decisions made by DAP Sabah, he said.
“If Stephen cannot even decide on the candidates in Sabah without the consent from the party’s top leaders in Peninsular, how can we expect DAP Sabah to defend our State rights?
“Do West Malaysian DAP leaders understand our Sabahans’ needs more than we do?
“If Stephen cannot even guarantee whether he would be fielded as a candidate, who makes the decision then?
“Does Stephen also have to get that person’s permission if he wants to voice out Sabah rights in the Parliament?”
Wong, who is also LDP Tanjung Papat Division chairman, said DAP Sabah deputy chairman Dr Edwin Bosi’s request to remain as a candidate in the next general elections showed that the state committee has no command over the matter.
He added that the numerous DAP elected representatives who have quit the party, including those in Malacca and Sabah, reflected a sharp drop in the opposition party’s popularity and support.
“One of the reasons is that DAP has deviated from its original struggle.
“The four Malacca elected representatives who quit DAP have said that the party has strayed from its principles.
“Many have realized the true colours of DAP over the past few years and decided to leave the party out of disappointment.”
Wong urged the people to consider what DAP had done for the past few years, including its marriage and separation with PAS as well as DAP’s collaboration with the bumiputera-based Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM), in order to decide for themselves whether DAP has gone astray from its principles.
“The people must realize that the former DAP-PAS alliance has plunged non-Muslims into a very difficult predicament.”