Deputy minister post proves DAP not ‘a Chinese party’, says Mordi

 The new deputy youth and sports minister says his appointment is proof that Dayak leaders in the party can be given a prominent post.

Mas Gading MP Mordi Bimol was appointed deputy youth and sports minister last month by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

PETALING JAYA:

 Mas Gading MP Mordi Bimol says his appointment as federal deputy youth and sports minister shows that his party, DAP, is not merely for Chinese leaders to flourish.

Mordi, a Sarawak DAP vice-chairman, said his federal appointment was proof that DAP allocated prominent positions to Dayak leaders, contrary to perceptions that it was dominated by the Chinese community, Borneo Post reported.

“People say DAP is a Chinese party. I am a Dayak and I don’t speak or understand Chinese, but I joined DAP.“As a deputy minister now, I see this as an opportunity and responsibility to prove that a Dayak can make it in DAP,” he was quoted as saying.

Mordi, a two-term MP, said he joined DAP in 2011 out of a desire to bring change and serve the people of Mas Gading.

He thanked Sarawak DAP chief Chong Chieng Jen and the party’s central leadership for trusting him as an election candidate in 2018 despite having lost in two previous elections.

DAP first fielded Mordi as a candidate in the 2013 general election, where he lost to Anthony Nogeh Gumbek, then of Barisan Nasional (BN), by 2,156 votes.

Mordi was again fielded as a candidate in the 2016 Sarawak state election in the Tasik Biru seat but lost to Henry Harry Jinep (BN).

His breakthrough finally came in the 2018 general election (GE14) when he defeated Anthony to win the Mas Gading seat with a 3,024-vote majority.

He expanded his majority in the 2022 general election (GE15), winning with a majority of 5,480 votes.

Mordi was appointed deputy youth and sports minister last month by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, in line with a Cabinet reshuffle that saw multiple changes in portfolios. - FMT