(From right) Phoong, Loke and Vivian arrive at Dewan Foochow for the annual convention.
KOTA KINABALU (May 17): Sabah Democratic Action Party (DAP) members must stay united and continue strengthening the party ahead of the next state election, said DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke.
He was confident that the party could rebuild its momentum and return to the state government in the future.
He also acknowledged the party’s disappointing performance in the last state election, but stressed that DAP must remain steadfast in its reform agenda and commitment to serving the people.
“We may have lost in the last state election, but our struggle does not end there. We must remain united, rebuild our strength and prepare for the future,” he said at the DAP Sabah 2025 Annual Convention at Dewan Foochow Kota Kinabalu on Saturday.
Loke also stressed that Sabah’s voice continues to be valued at the national level, pointing to the appointment of DAP Sabah liaison chairman Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe to the Dewan Negara as a move aimed at ensuring Sabah-related issues are directly raised with the federal government.
He said although DAP currently no longer holds seats in the Sabah State Legislative Assembly, the party still maintains parliamentary representation through Kota Kinabalu MP and Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Datuk Chan Foong Hin and Sandakan MP Vivian Wong Shir Yee.
Loke urged party members to stay focused and work towards defending both parliamentary seats in the 16th General Election.
He also highlighted several reform initiatives introduced under the Madani Government following the Sabah election, including efforts to speed up corporate tax refund processes and the reduction of service tax on rental and leasing services from eight per cent to six per cent.
Loke further referred to the recently unsuccessful constitutional amendment proposal aimed at limiting the Prime Minister’s tenure to two terms or 10 years, describing it as part of the government’s ongoing institutional reform efforts.
According to him, the government is also expected to table reforms separating the powers of the Attorney General and Public Prosecutor in Parliament this July.
“These are among the continuous reforms being pursued by the government. While challenges and resistance remain, we will not retreat. We hope the people will continue supporting DAP so that more meaningful reforms can be implemented,” he said.
Loke also described the federal government’s recent decision to allow holders of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) to apply for selected programmes in public universities as a historic and meaningful first step.
He said continued engagement and perseverance would pave the way for broader opportunities and fairer treatment for UEC students nationwide.