TAWAU: DAP has reaffirmed its commitment to contest the Sri Tanjong state seat in the 17th Sabah state election, maintaining its claim over what it considers a traditional party stronghold since 2008.
DAP National Policy Director and former Sri Tanjong Assemblyman (2013-2018), Datuk Chan Foong Hin clarified that while the party used Warisan’s logo in the 2020 State election, the victory rightfully belonged to DAP.
“We adopted Warisan’s logo in 2020 to show solidarity, but this does not mean Warisan won Sri Tanjong. We will peacefully but firmly reclaim what is ours through proper channels,” Chan told reporters during his working visit to Tawau.
The Deputy Plantation and Commodities Minister, who currently serves as Kota Kinabalu MP, said the seat’s political journey was originally a PBS-BN stronghold and it fell to DAP’s Datuk Jimmy Wong in 2008’s political tsunami.
Chan, himself, held the seat in 2018 before Jimmy Wong contested again in 2022.
In the 2020 state election, Jimmy’s son Justin Wong won under DAP-PH using Warisan’s logo, but later became an independent before joining Warisan in 2022.
Regarding election preparations, Chan said that unity government partners PH, GRS and BN are still in early stages of seat allocation talks.
“Each coalition must first settle internal discussions before broader negotiations can begin under the Madani unity spirit,” he said, noting that Warisan’s decision to go solo was their prerogative.
“But if we are united federally, why cannot we achieve the same in Sabah?” Chan said, pointing out that mature negotiations remain the best path forward.
