Two Sabah DAP reps, former senator quit state chapter

 

(From left) Justin Wong, Calvin Chong and Adrian Lasimbang say they will remain independent assemblymen for now.

KOTA KINABALU: Two assemblymen and a former senator announced their resignation from Sabah DAP tonight.

Sri Tanjong representative Justin Wong, Elopura assemblyman Calvin Chong and former senator Adrian Lasimbang said they began their respective political careers by vouching for a better Sabah.

This is in order to fight for “greater autonomy, better infrastructure, greener space and more importantly, a more inclusive society that transcends race and religion”.

“Unfortunately, we could not find this with Sabah DAP,” they said, in a joint statement shared with FMT.

“There is a lack of trust portrayed by our leadership in the state committee, the state chairman (Frankie Poon) in particular.”

Wong claimed the loss of direction, serious internal division and almost defunct level of communication between leaders have caused them to believe that the party is no longer a party that will strive for the people’s good.

“And it is getting corrosive. Therefore, with a heavy heart, we hereby announce that we are leaving DAP with immediate effect.”

When asked if they would be friendly with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), Wong, who was appointed a committee member in Sabah DAP’s recent party polls, said they were only becoming independent assemblymen.

“We feel there is an imminent need to choose a more viable platform that would allow us to better serve our beloved state.

“(But) I don’t want to talk about where we are going (for now) but that we only want to serve the people of Sabah,” he told FMT.

This effectively means Sabah DAP now only has four assemblymen namely Poon (Tanjong Papat), Phoong Jin Zhe (Luyang), Jannie Lasimbang (Kapayan) and Tan Lee Fatt (Likas).

As for MPs, the party currently has Chan Foong Hin (Kota Kinabalu), Vivian Wong (Sandakan) and Noorita Sual (Tenom).

Chong had previously hinted that he could leave Sabah DAP, citing internal issues and the party polls last year, in which he and several other DAP elected representatives were not voted into the state committee, as among his reasons. - FMT