GEORGE TOWN – DAP wants its state chapters to develop strong narratives on two issues in its campaign for the 15th general election (GE15), party secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook said.
The first narrative is to convince voters why DAP deserves to form the Penang government for a fourth term, which can be done by outlining its successes despite the negative portrayal by opponents, he said when launching the party’s state election machinery today.
The second narrative is to woo voters with expectations that the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition can win nationally, despite its losses in the recent Melaka, Johor, Sabah and Sarawak elections.
Loke said the DAP government’s successes in Penang include rehabilitating Komtar into a lively centre with the addition of The Top, now a tourism attraction.
"We also want to remind voters that May 9, 2018, was not a mistake. It is not the end of PH, despite the Sheraton Move which saw a backdoor federal government formed.”
He also said Penang DAP is confident it can defend all its 19 state seats here, and that the party’s central executive committee had set this “high goal” because it believes it can be done.
“We are the strongest in Penang. Look, the state is the earliest to be prepared for polls. We have t-shirts and caps all ready. I am sure it’s the same for other merchandise too.
“If we could do it in 2008, 2013 and 2018, I do not see why we cannot replicate our past successes now,” Loke, the Seremban MP and former transport minister, said at the launch today.
DAP has retained all its 19 state seats in Penang for three terms since 2008. It also has seven parliamentary seats.
Also present at the launch was DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng, who said no government can be sustainable in the long-term if it only chooses to govern for one race.
“Malaysia is for every citizen. We deserve better from the (federal) government of the day, who only chooses to remain in power at the expense of not serving others,” said Lim who was formerly Penang chief minister and federal finance minister. – The Vibes, September 11, 2022
