KOTA KINABALU, Sept 6 — Whether Pakatan Harapan (PH) allies with Barisan Nasional (BN) or Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) for the coming state elections can be seen as a positive development for PH and Democratic Action Party (DAP), said DAP Sabah chairman Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe.
Phoong said this when asked to comment on the announcement by BN chairman Dato Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi that BN and United Malays National Organisation (Umno) will only work with PH and not GRS in the election.
“When we look at the whole situation, we are looking at the macro perspective – it can be seen as a positive thing for DAP and PH.
“There are many different forms of political cooperations, not solely to the extent of political pacts,” he said when officiating the DAP Kapayan operations room in Kepayan Point here Friday.
Phoong said his side is now working on political arrangements where all the coalition talks prioritise preventing seat clashes.
He noted positive developments when it comes to seat discussions with other coalitions and political parties.
The State Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Minister was also asked to clarify on PH and BN’s electoral pact.
“So our political arrangement, I think, is only about the seat arrangement. We are not in an electoral pact yet. I don’t think so.
“It’s not about entering into this election as one electoral pact where we have manifesto and common policy frameworks,” he said.
On how DAP would maneuvre in the event that BN and GRS seats clash, he said it is very hard to understand this in the Malaysian context.
Phoong, who is also Luyang assemblyman, compared this to European democracies, where such incidents are a normal occurrence.
He explained that each political party there have the rights to enter elections and choose the seats they are confident in winning, and after the election, the people can add up the numbers to see who can form the government.
He said Malaysia has not reached that stage yet, while adding that DAP hopes to win the seats that it will contest in the 17th Sabah Elections with a clear agenda in mind.
Among the party’s vision for Sabah include bringing in more industrialisation to modernise the state.
Phoong also pointed out that they have a proven track record when it comes to public transportation, industries, job opportunities, and a better future for Sabahans.
“So when we have enough seats, whoever gets the mandate, we will talk and form the government together.
“In the event that they all clash, we don’t know who is going to contest in the DAP seats.
“Everyone is just stacking the numbers. We don’t know yet. We only will know who will contest against who after nomination day.
“So right now, we don’t have to go too far. We believe that we have to give a narrative to the people of Sabah,” he said.
Phoong said DAP does not want mere political talk or simply “shaking hands and forming a coalition”, emphasising that the nature of politics should be good policies and frameworks with sincerity in serving the people with sincerity.
“We have been in coalitions with many parties, but we have never seen a kind of politics that is sincere and really puts forward progressive agendas for the people.
“We want to, as a party, make the people believe that we can serve them better.
“Their lives will be improved in the next five years, they will see changes, they will see promises delivered – that’s how we stand for this election,” he said.
Phoong said they might be contesting six to ten seats, and reiterated that if they are given the mandate and trust from the people, they will bring in a form of new politics that is policy and service oriented.
Meanwhile, he also commented on United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko)’s recent suggestion to use its own logo in the state elections.
Phoong said they had held a fruitful and productive state committee discussion last week, and they will inform any developments to the press.
“We are going to meet the other component parties to understand their views and to really iron out the issues and possible circumstances,” he said.
Also present were DAP’s Kapayan assemblywoman Datuk Jannie Lasimbang and Kota Kinabalu Member of Parliament Datuk Chan Foong Hin. — The Borneo Post
