Press statement
by Teresa Kok, MP for Seputeh and Chairperson of the Gaya By-election Committee
on 13th October 2002 (Sunday)
in Kota Kinabalu

Sabah DAP Down but not Out

The Sabah DAP is disappointed with the Gaya by-election result that was  announced yesterday. However, the   defeat in this by-election is expected as two opposition parties fighting were  in the  fray against BN and this has diminished the chances of winning right from the beginning.

We accept the verdict of the Gaya people in this by-election. As a political party which has started the revamp few months ago, we did not set a high expectation in this by-election.

The voters from Menggatal, Inanam and Kota Kinabalu have given the DAP a lot of support. Their votes to the DAP and Keadilan have sent a clear message that they are utterly disgusted and angered by the abuses of power and funds by the Kota Kinabalu City Hall and Sabah state government. It is time for the Sabah State government and Kota Kinabalu City Hall to review  the series of unfair and unjust practices that infringed the rights of the people.

We want to thank the people who have supported the DAP in this by-election. We consider the votes that we received as the hope and expectation of the people of Gaya to the DAP that they want the DAP to be their voice in Sabah, and we will continue to play this role in Sabah politics, to bring the voice of the Sabahan inside and outside of the Parliament.

The Gaya by-election committee will conduct a post-mortem of this by election to be presented to the Central Executive Committee of the party soon. We will also study various statements made by the BN leaders during this by-election to see whether they have infringed the Election Offences Act and we will not hesitate to take legal action against  them. This include a number to promises and actions made by the BN during the election campaign, such as:

i)  RM13 mil grant to the squatters of  Gaya Island  who   have been relocated  to  Telipok and  Inanam;

ii) Three days before polling day, the state  government announced a   one month bonus or at  least   RM1200  to all  civil  servants;

ii)   The Defence Minister Dato Seri Najib presented   keys to Sepangar Bay villagers  of  their new houses  ahead of  polling day who  had been displaced  due to the  construction of the new naval  base.

Our early analysis reveals the following factors  that  contributed to  our  defeat:

i)Many  voters  in  Gaya had their names transferred to Api-Api. 

ii)The  low turnout   of  40 percent as  many were  fed  up with voting, this being a second  poll for them within a span of 12 months;

iii)The Pairin factor which  pulled the Kadazandusun to support  the  BN.

It is not easy for the DAP survive in a political environment which has been entrenched by money politics and corruption in Sabah.  Our ability to  garner  3,716  votes is an  achievement of sorts because  we have just  reasserted our presence after an absence of  seven years. It   reveals that  DAP   is  a  force  to   be reckoned with in   the  Sabah  political  landscape.

 However, we will continue our struggle which we have committed to the people of Sabah, and to try to bring greater change in Sabah politics and be the voice of Sabahans.

We also wish to establish a greater understanding and cooperation with Keadilan both at the national and state levels, in order to avoid splitting opposition votes against the might of BN in future elections.