Six reasons for landslide victory

SANDAKAN: DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng yesterday cited six reasons for DAP’s big win in the Sandakan parliamentary by-election.

According to him, DAP was surprised by the huge victory of its candidate Vivian Wong who won with a majority of 11,521 votes, despite an 18 per cent lower turnout as compared to 72 per cent in the 14th General Election.

“Firstly, the confidence and full support of Sandakan voters for Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, who had campaigned from house to house for days and spoke at many DAP ceramah (rallies), including a 45-minute ceramah at the grand finale in heavy rain.

“Many of the Sandakan voters, including Malay and Muslim voters, were touched by his spirit to serve, develop and bring change to make Sabah be er, more prosperous and clean for all regardless of race or religion,” he said in a statement here.

Secondly, said Lim, who is also Finance Minister, was the full confidence and support of Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Mohd Shafie as capable coalition leaders to unite, administer and represent all Malaysians geographically and demographically.

“As proven by the results of the Sandakan by-election, the opposition could not compete with the Warisan, DAP and Pakatan Harapan combination in prioritising moderation and uniting Malaysians by representing all races, religions and regions.

“Rejection of race-based politics which causes racial breakup, religious extremism and corruption of the opposition is the best gift in honour of Warisan’s and PH’s first anniversary in power at the state and federal levels,” he said.

The third reason was the support for people-centred development rather than crony capitalism to make the Sandakan economy dynamic again, while the fourth reason was the rejection of corruption and a kleptocratic government (Barisan Nasional government) to be replaced with a good and clean administration, Lim said.

He said the people were tired and bored with corruption and this (Sandakan byelection result) was a complete rejection of corrupt politicians campaigning in Sandakan, like the Kinabatangan MP (Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin) and former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Both have been hauled up for alleged corruption.

Lim said the fi h reason for the DAP’s triumph was the support for the good work done by the incumbent Sandakan MP, the late Stephen Wong, the father of Vivian; idealism and integrity of DAP and Vivian’s candidacy symbolising the future as well as women and youth empowerment.

As for the sixth, he cited the DAP election machinery and the mobilisation of leaders and members, who received strong support from Warisan and PH in a campaign filled with energy, speed and voter access that covered the entire parliamentary constituency.