SANDAKAN – The Chinese community in Sabah is leaning towards supporting local-based parties in the upcoming election, inspired by the effective governance observed in Sarawak, said Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) president Datuk Chin Su Phin.
Chin said that the party’s survey within the local Chinese community at the grassroots level revealed their desire for the Sabah government to model itself after Sarawak.
He pointed out that because Sarawak, is united under local parties, it has more influence when asserting its rights with the federal government.
“That is why Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) needs to establish a clear guideline outlining the direction we are heading. What the people want now is to emulate Sarawak.
“Sabahans should unite with Sabah-based parties to strengthen our collective voice and have influence over the decisions made by the federal government.
“It is time for GRS to also push for a sentiment – that we are Sabahans and we want a local-based party, just like Sarawak,” he said.
Chin met reporters earlier at the Elopura LDP Chinese New Year Celebration, held today at Kenalanmu Restaurant in Mile 4.
On whether he believed that GRS should work with Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the upcoming state polls, Chin said it was still too early to make a definitive statement.
However, he acknowledged that cooperation between GRS and PH is inevitable, given that PH is now the federal government now.
“As for how we want to split the seats, we should wait until the state election.
“I believe that it is crucial for us to work together to unite Sabahans through local-based parties while engaging with the federal government,” he added.
Yesterday, during a Chinese New Year celebration in Kota Kinabalu, Chin said that the LDP is considering targeting urban Chinese seats in Sabah, pending approval from the GRS leadership.
Though Chin did not specify the party’s preferred constituencies, Sabah’s urban seats include N19 Likas, N20 Api-Api, N21 Luyang, N22 Tanjung Aru, N55 Elopura, N56 Tanjong Papat, and N69 Sri Tanjong.
The majority of these seats are considered strongholds for DAP within the PH coalition. If GRS and PH worked together in the Sabah polls, the likelihood of the LDP contesting for their desired seats would decrease.
The LDP contested 46 out of the total 73 Sabah state seats during the 2020 state polls but failed to secure any seats.
Subsequently, the party sought to join the GRS coalition in 2022 and was officially admitted in 2023.
GRS now has seven component parties: Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah, Parti Bersatu Sabah, Sabah STAR, United Sabah National Organisation, Sabah Progressive Party, Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah, and LDP.
The Sabah government’s full term will end in September 2025. – February 18, 2024.