Potential DAP candidate says he won’t be ‘katak’
KOTA KINABALU: Potential Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sabah Luyang and Likas candidate Phoong Jin Zhe vowed to not do a ‘katak' (frog jump) should the people elect him as a people's representative in the future.
Phoong said many people had warned him against doing the ‘katak' by leaving DAP Sabah to join another political party in the future.
He said the people had been left with a bad taste in their mouth and felt betrayed after their elected candidates had jumped ship in the past.
“First, they will ask me about myself and then they will ask which party do I belong to,” the DAP Sabah Luyang coordinator told the press here yesterday.
“The majority of our voters are Chinese and according to Chinese culture, this is the year to chase away the ‘running dog' (betrayers),” said Phoong, adding that it was a Chinese culture to value integrity and loyalty, among others.
However, Phoong insisted that parties with specific racial and religious backgrounds should cease to exist in the future.
“It is high time for us to embrace new politics that the contest between the ruling party and opposition parties should be about policy debate instead of political rhetoric,” said Phoong.
“We must show to the people that we the opposition party are able to provide better policies than the Barisan Nasional government. For too long, people are upset and disappointed with politics because our politicians have been making personal attacks and humiliating each other, not debating on policies and ideas.
“We must change this. We must be able to see ourselves as government-in-waiting, that we can offer better policies that would help our people to live a better life when we form the next government,” he added.