Honour grassroots’ wish to see opposition work together, DAP urges Warisan

TAWAU: A Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sabah leader has urged Parti Warisan Sabah to honour grassroots’ wish to see genuine opposition parties working together and forming a formal pact as soon as possible.

DAP Sabah assistant secretary Tan Lee Fatt yesterday said it was important not to let the hope of collaboration dies off due to internal stumbling blocks.

Tan, who attended DAP Tawau Hari Raya open house on July 2, said he received similar feedback from Warisan grassroots leaders as well during the function.

“Warisan grassroots leaders agree that Warisan and Pakatan Harapan (PH) should focus on their respective strong areas. They even told me that in order for Warisan to prove its worth, the party should contest in Umno stronghold areas. Let PH contest in the incumbent seats. That is the only way Warisan and PH together can gain the people’s trust and confidence in becoming the next state and federal governments,” he said.

Tan said PH was strong in urban and sub-urban areas and it would be good to have Warisan compliment PH in order to break Umno stronghold in the rural areas.

“In the last election, we lost mainly in the rural areas, or more specifically, Muslim majority seats. With Warisan emerging as a new force in Sabah’s political scene, I believe Warisan has the courage and confidence to contest in 30 over Muslim majority seats and winning them. If Warisan can win half of Sabah Umno seats, plus the seats won by PH, we can form the next state government,” he said.

In Tan’s view, DAP is the most genuine opposition party as it has never joined the Umno/ BN coalition government and persistent in its political struggle for the past 52 years.

No one should doubt DAP’s commitment to achieve a total change of government, he said.

Finally, he advised the party from being dictated by those reluctant to work with PH.

“Put aside your personal political interest; look at the bigger picture. I don’t want to mention the names of who are the stumbling blocks to slow down the seat talks, but please, don’t underestimate your own grassroots’ wisdom. Honour the grassroots’ wish to work together,” he said.