Kota Kinabalu: Kota Kinabalu Warisan Secretary Loi Kok Liang said Sabahans should unite behind the right leader.
“Concentrating votes on one party is not wrong. The mistake is in choosing the wrong party and the wrong leader in the past,” he said in a statement, here, Sunday.
His statement came in reaction to Sabah MCA Youth Chief Roger Yap who urged voters to vote rationally and not place all their bets on a single political party.
“Sabah’s Chinese community should not scatter their votes but instead learn from past mistakes,” Loi said.
“Voters should consolidate support behind leaders who genuinely defend Sabah’s rights and fight for local interests,” he added.
Pointing to recent history, Loi noted that from 2018 to 2022, Sabah voters placed their hopes in the West Malaysian coalition Pakatan Harapan, which ultimately failed to deliver on promises related to the Malaysia Agreement 1963.
“Look at Sarawak’s success story. By supporting local parties, they secured key powers over oil and gas taxes, port management and electricity control. This increased State revenue and improved people’s living standards,” he said.
“Sabahans know that to make Sabah strong and prosperous, we must follow Sarawak’s example, elect a Chief Minister who can truly fight for autonomy and build a strong, locally-rooted government,” he added.
Additionally, he cautioned against thinking along ethnic lines, which he described as Peninsular-style politics inappropriate for Sabah’s diverse population.
Instead, he advocated for a Sabahan-first approach that goes beyond racial divisions.
Addressing Sabah’s current challenges, including power and water shortages, economic slowdown and unemployment, Loi said these issues require more than individual elected representatives can provide.
“These problems cannot be solved by just one YB. They require a government with a full policy platform and the strength to negotiate with the Federal Government,” he said.
