DAP attributes its losses to low turnout

KUALA LUMPUR: Sarawak DAP Chairman Chong Chieng Jen has admitted his party did badly in the 2016 Sarawak election.

“I won the Kota Sentosa seat, but Sarawak DAP has lost the battle. We accept the defeat,” said Chong in a note of appreciation to his voters.

“I would like to thank my voters. I promise to continue our struggle and fight in the DUN (state assembly) to provide better checks and balances on government policies and actions.”

DAP won only seven of 31 seats it contested in the just concluded election, compared to 12 in 2011. It lost the Batu Kawah, Repuk, Dudong, Meradong and Piasau seats.

When asked if infighting between DAP and PKR had caused the defeat, Chong said that a post-mortem will be conducted.

Chong attributed the loss to the low voter turnout at the elections. The Election Commission had said only 52% turned out to vote at 4pm, an hour before the polling stations closed.

“We must learn a lesson from this defeat and come up with new directions on how to break the rural barrier,” Chong said, noting that rural politics in Sarawak was not easy.

“We just have to pick up the pieces and get our act together.”

Chief Minister Adenan Satem has also noted that DAP had lost its support in both the rural and urban areas.

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