Sarawak DAP to put more efforts on 20 rural areas, says Wong Ho Leng

Retiring Sarawak DAP chairman Wong Ho Leng's speech at the State DAP's annual convention on June 9, 2013

We are proud that the PakatanRaykat gathered 51% of the popular votes on GE13 but because of gerrymandering and unfairness in the electoral system, the Pakatan Rakyat secured only 89 of the 222 seats in Parliament.

BN bagged 133seats in Parliament although it captured only 48% of the popular votes. There is nothing honourable about Najibforming the federal Government with only minority support.

Sarawak is rewarded by Najib in his federal cabinet but even the BN leaders in Sarawak are complaining about the portfolios held by Sarawak ministers and deputy ministers.

GE13 saw an improvement in the DAP. We have kept improving since GE12 in 2008 and 2011 Sarawak state election. We are now the 2^nd largest political party in the country.

However, we should not rest on our laurels.We have not succeeded in toppling the corrupt BN regime.Where we failed, we must succeed in the next election. We owe it to the Malaysian people to replace the regime that is corrupt to the core.

We must get ready to face the state election in some 24 months. That will be the time when we must bid goodbye to the Taib administration.

We owe it to the Sarawak public that lives have to improve not only in the urban areas but also in the rural interiors of Sarawak. The recent Belagaboat tragedy speaks volume of the neglect of the interior Sarawak by the state Government, especially in areas like the lack of infrastructures such as roads. The rural interiors also do not have amenities such as water and electric supplies. These rural folks are victims of money politics played out by the BN politicians. We must give them better lives and inculcate in them better democratic ideals.

We have tremendous success in the urban constituencies. We see not only Chinese support but also Iban and Malay support at urban constituencies.

But to improve the overall lives of Sarawakians, we need a tsunami not only at the urban level but also from the rural constituencies. DAP Sarawak have identified 20 rural areas where we must put in more effort. Apart from that, we need to defend the 12 urban and semi-urban areas. We must cooperate with all opposition political parties, ie PKR, PAS and even SWP, to ensure that we break the threshold of the BN.

The party must inculcate better discipline among members. Winning elections is important but inculcating discipline at all branches is equally if not more important.

The MPs and ADUNs are expected to perform to the best of their abilities, in the manner expected of them by the Party and the electorates. The Party should not hesitate to replace underperforming wakil rakyat.

I have occupied the state Chair for 13 years. This is the time that I must let go and a new leadership takes over.I wish to thank the state committee and all the members for the cooperation rendered to me in the past 13 years. With the people’s support, the Party has achieved tremendous success, and I hope that the Party will scale greater heights under the new leadership.