DAP TRAILBLAZING SOCIAL MEDIA
Vivian Wong’s daily schedule and discussions on issues uploaded to social media platforms
DAYS into the campaign period for the Sandakan by-election on May 11, DAP appears to be the frontrunner on social media.
In a bid to defend the parliamentary seat for the Parti Warisan Sabah-Pakatan Harapan-United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation coalition, the party is pulling out all the stops to push its candidate, Vivian Wong Shir Yee, to the forefront.
Vivian’s daily schedule, discussions on issues and responses are uploaded on various platforms on social media for the public, particularly constituents, to reach out to their candidate.
On the Facebook page “DAP Sandakan” for one, the candidate’s
movement, topics raised and the presence of other leaders backing her up are constantly updated.
A video of Vivian talking about why she agreed to stand in the byelection, which was called following the death of her father, Datuk Stephen Wong Tien Fatt on March 28, and photos, as well as notes of her from the time she was nominated on Saturday, marked her commitment to the race.
“If given the opportunity, I will continue to do what my father struggled for Sandakan all these years,” she said in one of her online messages written in Bahasa Malaysia and Chinese.
Stephen had served the constituency for DAP in the opposition from 2013 after defeating the then Liberal Democratic Party president Datuk Liew Vui Keong of Barisan Nasional in the 13th General Election (GE13).
In GE14, he defended his seat and was nominated as a state assemblyman, which allowed him to serve as Sabah health and people’s wellbeing minister until his death.
The by-election will see a fivecornered contest. Challenging Vivian are Datuk Linda Tsen Thau Lin of Parti Bersatu Sabah and independent hopefuls Chia Siew Yung, Sulaiman Abdul Samat and Hamzah Abdullah.