SANDAKAN – The resignation of two Sabah DAP assemblymen and a former senator may be a cover-up before the anti-hopping bill is presented and passed in Parliament.
Sabah DAP chairman Datuk Frankie Poon Ming Fung said that Sri Tanjong assemblyman Justin Wong, Elopura assemblyman Calvin Chong and former senator Adrian Lasimbang may have their own plans, and the proposed anti-hopping law may have hastened their plans, resulting in their announcements yesterday to quit the party.
“They are saying that they are unhappy with the Sabah DAP committee, (but) the new term is barely two months old and they are already unhappy? This term will be for another three years. Surely that can’t be the reason for them to leave the party.
“Maybe they had their plans and the proposed anti-hopping law hastened their plans,” Poon said in a statement today.
Yesterday, Chong, Wong, and Lasimbang issued a joint statement announcing their departure from the party, noting the lack of trust in the newly elected state chapter committee.
Chong told The Vibes that he felt unappreciated in the party while Wong said that he felt that he was working alone all along, without support from the Sabah DAP Chairman.
I am mystified by their comments. Chong had been with the party longer than I have. He contested in all Sabah DAP conventions but failed to be elected each time. Successful selections are the mandates given by the delegates. Now, who is to blame for not fulfilling such a mandate?
“It’s an abuse of the people’s mandate for any elected representative of a political party to resign from that party to become an independent assemblyman or to subsequently join another political party.
“If he is so unhappy, then he should resign as an elected representative. That would be the honourable thing to do,” Poon said.
On Wong’s comments, Poon said that despite Wong’s failure to show up during the Sabah DAP convention in Sandakan on November 21, last year, Wong still received the highest votes from the delegates.
He stood as DAP candidate for Sri Tanjong in the 2020 Sabah election, and a first-time YB (assemblyman). Wong not showing up at the convention and being unable to be reached through phone calls was very unbecoming of a YB and an elected member of the Sabah DAP committee.
“It was irresponsible towards the members’ trust in him. However, I had never rebuked or reprimanded him for his shortcomings. Instead, I called to advise him of the correct approaches when faced with issues,” the Tg Papat assemblyman said.
Poon also said that Wong had repeatedly turned down invitations to meet up for a discussion, be it in Tawau or Kota Kinabalu, with similar excuses of having family dinners.
“Similarly with all YBs, I have always been courteous with Wong on a personal and party level. As the current party chairman, I would take calls from all our YBs if any of them reached out to me.
“Having said that, can someone please shed some light on who is stirring up issues and creating an internal conflict within the party as claimed by Wong?” Poon asked.
Poon said that his plan was for the Sabah DAP committee to tour Sabah on a regular basis in the coming years.
“During our second meeting, we were going to build relationships and recruit more members, and share our visions. All the people’s representatives had been invited,” he said.
Shouldn’t this be one of the ways forward to enhance our strength? Maybe this kind of work would have become too much for them to handle.”
Poon urged all Sabah DAP members to remain calm and said the party will rebuild the two constituencies with more members.
“We will continue to provide services to the respective local communities, notwithstanding,” he added. – The Vibes, January 21, 2022
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