Preliminary results show Sabah DAP chief Phoong Jin Zhe and his deputy Chan Foong Hin both losing their contests to Warisan candidates.
PETALING JAYA: DAP is on course to be wiped out in the Sabah state election with preliminary vote counts pointing to Warisan wresting most of its seats from the party.
The losses include the party’s state chief and his deputy, both defeated by Warisan candidates.
Based on unofficial results, Warisan has taken all six seats that DAP had won in 2020 – Likas, Kapayan, Elopura, Luyang, Tanjong Papat and Sri Tanjong.
If the results are confirmed, it would be the first time since 2004 that DAP will not have a representative in the Sabah assembly.
In 2020, DAP had also contested Tanjung Aru and Kemabong, which were won by Warisan and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), respectively.
Sabah DAP chief Phoong Jin Zhe was defeated in Likas by Warisan’s Tham Yun Fook while Phoong’s deputy, Chan Foong Hin, failed to wrest Tanjung Aru from Warisan vice-president Junz Wong.
DAP’s Sandakan MP Vivian Wong failed to keep Elopura under the party’s hold, losing to Warisan’s Calvin Chong. Similarly, DAP failed to retain Sri Tanjong, with Warisan’s Justin Wong on course for victory.
Both Wong and Chong won their seats in 2020 as DAP members, before defecting to Warisan.
Jannie Lasimbang is set to lose the Kapayan seat to Warisan’s Chin Tek Ming. DAP first won the seat in 2013.
Another DAP stronghold lost to Warisan is Luyang, with newcomer Chan Loong Wei defeated by Samuel Wong. Luyang had been under DAP’s hold since 2013.
The party’s decision to field another newcomer in Tanjong Papat also proved costly, with Tang Szu Ching losing to Warisan’s Alex Thien.
Former Sabah DAP chief Frankie Poon had contested under Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat, potentially splitting DAP’s votes.
In Kemabong, DAP’s former Tenom MP Noorita Sual lost to Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah vice-president Rubin Balang.
