DAP's missing and jumping YBs

KOTA KINABALU - DAP has only itself to blame now that the party has found itself not having any more “safe” seats in the state, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) election director of operations Melanie Chia said.

She said the Malaya-based opposition party had taken the Sabahans for granted for too long and the situation in the Kota Kinabalu Parliamentary seat was a good example.

“How else can one explain DAP fielding individuals who were proven to be under performing elected representatives in the Kota Kinabalu Parliamentary seat for 10 years,” Melanie said on Friday.

“The DAP YBs went missing for 10 years. Sabahans do not want a missing YB for another five years,” she added when responding to Sabah DAP chief Stephen Wong who was quoted as saying that there was no more safe seat for the party in Sabah.

Melanie, said the Sabahans had grown fed up with DAP and its YBs that had not spoken up for them in Parliament.

“There are many pressing issues affecting Kota Kinabalu but the DAP YBs for the past 10 years have failed to speak out in Parliament. It’s only when they are in KK then they start making noises in coffee shops,” she said.

“Kota Kinabalu voters know they deserve more than just coffee shop talk specialists,” Melanie added.

She said DAP had also fielded candidates in the past election who have switched their political allegiances to the anger of voters.

“Three DAP YBs have switched parties since the 2013 polls. And the BN candidate for Kota Kinabalu this time was fielded by the DAP candidate in Putatan five years ago,” Melanie said.

“This speaks volumes about the credibility of these DAP turncoats,” she said.

She said it was becoming obvious that a political wind of change was blowing through KK and it was for SAPP, a local party.

Melanie said SAPP, a Gabungan Sabah component, was responding this by pledging that all of its elected representatives would be answerable to Sabahans.

“That’s why we have said that our candidates are answerable to Sabahans because you are our only bosses,” she added.
She said after 10 years of dismal representation in Parliament, many voters in Kota Kinabalu were looking for someone who could speak fluently in Bahasa Malaysia.

Melanie said voters here also told her their criteria for their MP should be a person who is knowledgeable about issues and is courageous to speak up for them without fear or favour.

“Our candidate for the KK Parliament seat Datuk Yong Teck Lee fits those requirements and voters here know that too,” she added.

On DAP’s claim that Yong would be ineffective if elected as he would be the lone SAPP MP, Melanie said: GS is contesting in all 25 MP seats plus one on Labuan.”

“When our MPs march into Parliament, it will be with the strength of Sabahans behind them,” she said.