DAP to contest Sook, Bingkor, Melalap seats
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Democratic Action Party (DAP) chairman Stephen Wong yesterday announced that among the rural state seats the party would be contesting in the upcoming general election would be Bingkor, Sook and Melalap.
The Sook and Melalap state seats were both won by Barisan Nasional (BN) but Bingkor went to Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, who is from opposition party Star.
In explaining DAP's rationale for contesting in a state seat already won by an opposition party, Stephen said it was because they had started work there since day one.
“And our potential candidate is confirmed,” he said.
He also alleged that Jeffrey was not standing there and another candidate would replace him.
Jeffrey, Stephen claimed, might contest in Tambunan instead.
The three rural parliamentary seats that DAP was also eyeing were Tenom and Keningau.
Stephen also denied the ‘arrogant' label that has been given to the party by Special Tasks Minister Datuk Teo Chee Kang recently after Sabah DAP asked for 12 state seats and five parliamentary seats in the upcoming election.
“We are not greedy. We know what we are asking for ... whatever I mentioned, we have agreed in Pakatan Harapan,” he said.
“DAP is a humble and consistent party. We don't ask for more than what we can do.”
He also said DAP would not ‘kacau' areas or seats that had not been ‘cultivated' by them.
However, DAP intends to field its candidate in Likas, which was won by Junz Wong during the last election while he was still with DAP.
“Likas is my seat,” said Stephen.
He also said he hoped to meet with Warisan Sabah president Datuk Shafie Apdal after Jan 22 for discussion.