Kota Kinabalu: Despite internal rift, Sabah DAP is hoping to retain the Tanjung Papat seat in the coming State election. The division recently saw the departure of key figures like Datuk Frankie Poon.
“While Sabah DAP is committed to defending its current strongholds of Luyang, Likas, Kapayan, Elopura, and Sri Tanjong, the party’s interest in Tanjung Aru signals an ambitious push for broader representation in the state assembly, said Deputy Chairman Datuk Chan Foong Hin.
Chan, who is also Kota Kinabalu MP, revealed that the party is also considering candidates for several interior seats, further underscoring its expansionist goals.
“We have many potential candidates under consideration, but we have not yet finalised our selections,” Chan stated, indicating that the party is carefully evaluating its options for these targeted seats.
Frankie, a former Sabah DAP chief, left with nine branches and is expected to contest as an independent, potentially splitting the vote and complicating DAP’s efforts in that constituency.
When questioned about the possibility of fielding two-term Sandakan MP Vivian Wong Shir Yee in Tanjung Papat, Chan declined to comment, emphasizing that “any decision will be strategically thought through.”Chan also said he will not be contesting in the state election, including the Api-Api seat, which has been held by PKR’s Datuk Seri Christina Liew for three terms since 2013.
This decision underscores DAP’s focus on other strategic targets, including Tanjung Aru, as it seeks to reshape the political landscape in Sabah.