DAP will unveil its candidates for the coming Sabah state election in Kota Kinabalu on Saturday.
Sabah DAP deputy chief Chan Foong Hin expressed confidence in the candidates selected by the party and said Sabahans can judge DAP for themselves based on its performance so far.
Despite former Tanjong Papat assemblyman Frankie Poon leaving the party last month, Chan said, DAP continued to have a strong presence in Sandakan, where the state seat is located.
“There is no issue of us being less confident (despite Poon’s exit),” he was quoted as saying by The Borneo Post.
Poon, a former Sabah DAP chief, left the party out of dissatisfaction with the state chapter’s current leadership, claiming that veterans were being sidelined despite years of contributing to the party’s growth in Sabah.
DAP won eight seats in the 2020 state election but two of its assemblymen – Justin Wong (Sri Tanjong) and Calvin Chong (Elopura) – later defected to Warisan.
Pakatan Harapan has reached election pacts with ruling state coalition Gabungan Rakyat Sabah as well as Barisan Nasional.
DAP’s PH ally, PKR, is slated to announce its candidates for the state polls on Sunday, with its president, Anwar Ibrahim, to name the nominees.
Fellow PH component Amanah has already announced its sole candidate for the state election, Julpikar Ab Mijan, for the Sulabayan seat, while Upko has yet to set a date.
Upko, led by Sabah PH chief Ewon Benedick, has been hinting at contesting several seats previously won by GRS.
GRS chairman Hajiji Noor had expressed hope the coalition would not clash with PH in certain seats, although he said “a little overlap here and there is fine”.
