DAP Sarawak’s No 2 takes responsibility for defeat in Sibu

(From left) Wong speaks during the press conference. With him are Sibu MP Oscar Ling and Chang. — Photo by Conny Banji

SIBU (Dec 20): Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak deputy chairman David Wong takes full responsibility for the party’s losses in four seats here in the just-concluded 12th state election.

He said he had made all the decisions on DAP’s election-related matters here.

Wong failed to defend Pelawan for a third term after losing to Michael Tiang of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) by 100 votes.

Tiang garnered 4,413 votes against Wong’s 4,313, Dr Low Chong Nguan of Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB)’s 3,757 votes, Jamie Tiew of Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK)’s 3,146 votes, and Janet Loh of Parti Aspirasi Rakyat Sarawak (Aspirasi)’s 302 votes.

Wong’s comrade Irene Chang also suffered the same fate after losing Bukit Assek to Joseph Chieng of GPS.
Chieng won with 4,684 votes against Chang’s 3,810, Priscilla Lau of PBK’s 2,598 votes, Ting Kee Nguan of PSB’s 1,790 votes, Jess Lau of Aspirasi’s 209 votes, and Independent candidate Hii Tiong Huat’s 313 votes.

Paul Ling and Amy Lau, who were fielded by the DAP in Dudong and Bawang Assan, respectively, also failed in their election debuts.

“Four of us have been brave, and we fought the election very well. All decisions were mine and I would shoulder all the consequences.

“As for my position in the party, I would leave it to the top leadership to decide. I will take a rest for the time being until things settle down.

“Whether this will be my last election campaign or not, that is to be decided later.

“I would like to thank the voters not only those who have been supporting the party, but also those who have putting their belief in the DAP and myself for the past 22 years,” said Wong during a press conference held at DAP Sibu headquarters here yesterday.

He revealed that his team had expected to win at least three seats, by retaining Pelawan and Bukit Assek and either winning Dudong or Bawang Assan.

“We did not expect to win more as we know GPS would still win and form the state government,” he said, attributing the loss of Pelawan seat to postal votes and low voters’ turnout of only 47 per cent out of 34,466 registered voters.

According to Wong, DAP was leading by some 500 votes when ballots from all 11 polling stations in Pelawan were counted, but later lost the seat after the postal votes came in.

“These postal votes are from police personnel and their families who are mostly non-Sarawakians. So the punchline is that non-Sarawakians decided the outcome in Pelawan because of low turnout.

“We respected the outcome and had hoped for at least 50 per cent turnout, but with less than 50 per cent, what kind of mandate are we giving the candidate?”

Wong added that not voting was equivalent to not exercising one’s rights, and he hoped that this would serve as a reminder that ‘every vote counts’.

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