LDP fliers emphasize giving mandate to local parties

KOTA KINABALU: Liberal Democratic Party’s (LDP) fliers of caricatures featuring Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) president Datuk Seri Panglima Shafie Apdal and his allies from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and Democratic Action Party (DAP) intend to emphasize the importance of giving the mandate to local parties.

“The people must not let peninsular-based parties dominate (Sabah politics),” said LDP president Datuk Chin Su Phin.

He was referring to LDP’s flyer depicting Shafie championing Sabah’s agenda whilst his allies, PKR Sabah chairperson Datuk Christina Liew and DAP Sabah chairman Datuk Frankie Poon second-guessing and having to consult their national leaders, which DAP Sabah Youth (Dapsy) chief Phoong Jin Zhe took offence at, citing disrespect for the leaders.

Chin said the fact that DAP contested under Warisan’s logo in the state election proved that the party recognized the local party sentiment among Sabahans.

He said DAP may have forgone its rocket logo and listened to Shafie during the election, but the party leaders still had to consult its national leaders after the state polls.

“Do not vote for DAP just because the party is contesting under Warisan’s logo.

“I hope the Chinese voters will not be misled by DAP,” he said to reporters after leading LDP Luyang candidate Datuk Anthony Linggian @ Chong Yuk Ken and Likas candidate Sim Fui on a walkabout in Luyang here, yesterday.

Adding on, LDP chief publicity officer Simon Chin said the caricature was depicting the truth, that Liew and Poon would always have to consult their national leaders, namely Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Lim Guan Eng, before making decisions.

“Christina Liew wanted to use Warisan’s logo, but Anwar said no.

“Chan Foong Hin (DAP Sabah secretary) kept holding off the announcement whether DAP would contest under Warisan’s logo until Lim Guan Eng came to Sabah.

“If PKR and DAP have autonomy in Sabah, Liew and Poon could have decided and announced themselves whether they wanted to use Warisan’s logo, but that is not the case.

“We are just speaking the truth,” he said. Simon added that Warisan prided itself as being a local party, yet it embraced peninsular-based parties as partners.

“On the contrary, LDP is a true local party in Sabah.”