DAP’s commitment to the
political struggles of the people in Sabah and Sarawak has a long history. It
is the longest serving opposition party in Sabah and Sarawak and has never
compromised on its principles by joining the Barisan Nasional government either
at the state or federal level. The DAP has been in Sabah and Sarawak before
1978.
DAP first contested in the
Sabah state elections in 1978 winning the parliamentary seat of Sandakan. In
the 1982 general elections, the party retained the Sandakan parliamentary seat
and in the 1986 general elections, DAP won 4 parliament seats in Sandakan,
Gaya, Tanjong Aru and Tawau.
The general election of 1990
saw DAP losing all its seats and thereafter went into political hibernation in
Sabah. The turn of event stemmed from PBS decision to abandon BN and the strong
prevailing emotional feelings for Pairin Kitingan and PBS at the moment in
time.
DAP’s fortune was revived
during the 2008 general elections. Despite many constraints, the party went to
field and contested in five parliamentary and nine State seats winning the MP
seat of Kota Kinabalu and a historic State seat of Sri Tanjung in Tawau. DAP
was the only opposition party to win any seats in Sabah in the 12th general
election.
DAP first contested in the
Sarawak state elections in 1979 state elections. DAP won its first
parliamentary seat Bandar Kuching in Sarawak in the 1982 general elections. At
the height of BN’s dominance in Sarawak in 2001, where it won 60 out of 62
state seats, DAP still managed to send one representative to the state
legislature as a check and balance to BN.
Recently, DAP broke new
ground in Sarawak by winning the Sibu parliamentary by-election in 2010 and by
winning 12 out of 15 state seats which it contested in for the 2011 state
elections.
Please refer to the summary
below for DAP Sarawak’s record; 1982 Kuching, Sibu; 1986 Kuching ; 1990 Kuching, Lanang; 1995 Bintulu; 1996 3
ADUNS; 2000 Nil; 2001 1 ADUN; 2004 Kuching; 2006 6 ADUNS/12 contested; 2008
Kuching; 2010 Sibu; 2011 12 ADUNS/ 15 contested.
Even though the party faced
immense challenges and experienced many low points in Sabah and Sarawak, its
commitment to play its role as an opposition party in both states never
wavered. In contrast, many other parties in both states have splinter, joined
and rejoined the BN despite its consistent record of corruption, mismanagement
and the abuse of power.
Today, the DAP can stand
proud because of its record of service and its commitment to its principles in
Sabah and Sarawak. Today, DAP is the largest opposition party in Sabah and
Sarawak, with 3 MPs and 13 ADUNS.
Together with its coalition
partners in Pakatan Rakyat, DAP is confident that the people of Sabah and
Sarawak are ready to send a clear message to the BN in the 13th general
election that they are ready for a change after 50 years of misrule and
mismanagement.
DAP’s Borneo Agenda
While DAP Sabah and DAP
Sarawak are proud of the autonomy of decision making by the leadership of both
States, we also recognize that we share many common struggles and common goals
as a result of our shared histories.
To achieve these common
goals, we require not just power at the State level but also the cooperation of
the Federal government. We have seen in the past how parties that only have a
presence in Sabah and Sarawak are not able to pull their weight at the Federal
level.
We have also seen how the
lack of cooperation between parties based in Sabah and Sarawak has resulted in
the failure to implement policies which would have benefitted both States.
Only when we have political
parties that are firmly rooted in both Sabah and Sarawak, working in
cooperation with each other and having a strong voice in the Federal
government, can many of these common goals be achieved. With this in mind, DAP
Sabah and Sarawak have come together to launch DAP’s Borneo Agenda – our
elections pledge to the people of both States.
We promise:
1. To restore the spirit of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and the
position of Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners within Malaysia by restoring
autonomy to Sabah and Sarawak within the framework of the Federal Constitution.
2. To increase national
integration between Sarawak, Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia through a fair
power-sharing arrangement that fully upholds the spirit of the Malaysia
Agreement.
3. To uphold the oil justice for Sabah & Sarawak by raising
the oil royalty to 20% from the present 5% for both states, appointing state
representatives as members of Petronas board of directors, and establishing
state owned 2nd tier oil and gas company to benefit from the financial
investments made into marginal fields through risk-sharing contracts (RSCs).
4. To abolish the cabotage policy which unnecessarily increase the
cost of goods and the cost of living of the people of Sabah and Sarawak.
5. To support for another RCI on illegal immigrants with the aim
of not only to clean up the citizenship and to provide a path to citizenship
for those who are qualified, but also to institute legal action against those
involved in this activity and program.
6. To introduce stringent checks and safeguards to prevent a re-occurrence
of Project IC in Sabah and ensure this activity will never occur in Sarawak.
7. To clean up the voting records and electoral roll.
8. To endorse the appointment of Sabah and Sarawak citizens to
head Government Departments in their own respective States and by the powers
vested in the State Secretaries of both States as well as give first priority
to the appointment of Sabah and Sarawak citizens at Federal Government level
functioning within Sabah and Sarawak.
9. To increase the role of Sabahans and Sarawakians in Foreign
Affairs by appointing them Ambassadors and High Commissioners.
10. To protect National Customary Rights (NCR) to land in Sabah and
Sarawak by endorsing the authority already vested in the State Laws of Sabah
and Sarawak to set up Land Commissions to investigate, resolve disputes,
redress, undertake survey and restore Native Customary Rights over Native
Customary Lands.
11. To narrow down the income inequality gap between regions by
eradicating hardcore poverty in Sabah and Sarawak by empowering local
communities through various programs to increase their disposable income.
12. To put a stop to environmental degradation and destruction caused
dam building and illegal logging.
13. To build a Pan Borneo Highway and railway to connect the major
towns and cities in Sabah and Sarawak.
14. To bring the level of infrastructure development in Sabah and
Sarawak up to par with Peninsular Malaysia especially roads, water and
electricity.
15. To protect the freedom of religion of the people of Sabah and
Sarawak as enshrined in Article 11 of the Federal Constitution.
16. To increase access to quality education for Sabahans and
Sarawakians in the interior regions and to increase the number of scholarships
given to marginalized groups in Sabah and Sarawak.
17. To increase government allocations to SRJKs, mission and
Independent Schools in Sabah and Sarawak.
18. To provide yearly allocation for non-Islamic religious bodies and
institutions.
19. To allocate resources to increase the usage and awareness of
native languages in Sabah and Sarawak.
20. To conduct a comprehensive and transparent anti-corruption
investigation on the Chief Ministers of Sabah and Sarawak and their respective
cabinet ministers.
Ubah Sekarang, Selamatkan
Sabah, Selamatkan Sarawak, Selamatkan Malaysia
Signed in Kota Kinabalu,
Sabah on 12th February 2013 by,
WONG HO LENG
Chairman DAP Sarawak
JIMMY WONG SZE PHIN
Chairman DAP Sabah
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