Yong: SAPP is prepared for the next general elections

KOTA KINABALU, January 22, 2010: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) is not seeking to be in the government just for the sake of wanting to be in the government, but more importantly, to achieve its mission of fighting for a better future for the State and its people, said its President, Datuk Yong Teck Lee.

"SAPP was in the government before but on our own free choice we decided not to be part of the BN coalition on September 17, 2008 in order to achieve our 8-point struggles for a better future for Sabah and its people. We are not in the hurry to get back in just so that it was the status quo again.

"This is the fundamental difference in the mindset of our party leaders and members from that of the other opposition parties, and this has to be made absolutely clear," he stressed.

He stressed this while speaking at the party's 16th Anniversary Dinner held at the Convention Centre of the Star City here, on Thursday night.

Yong noted that after the party ceased to be a member of the BN coalition government, it has moved quickly to rebrand the party and promoted the 8-point platform to form a trustworthy government and a progressive, just and harmonious society and by 2009, it has become a state-wide party with new leaders and members.

Among the key goals contained in the 8-points platform are:

， That the government shall be of the people and based on good governance and civil society and non-racial politics based on a progressive, just and harmonious society;

， that Sabah shall have political autonomy whereby the government shall be formed and run by the people of Sabah;

， that Sabah and other oil producing States shall be entitled to the petroleum royalty of 20%;

， that the Federal Territory of Labuan shall be returned to Sabah and governed as a special region;

， that unfair and imprudent federal laws which have been extended to Sabah and federal departments and which are to the detriment of the State shall be reviewed.

"This gathering of party leaders and supporters marks the next phase of preparations for the coming general elections that will return autonomy to the people of Sabah. Tonight is also a celebration of our party's progress after we have freed ourselves from the Barisan Nasional and its politics of divide and rule," he proclaimed.

"And 2010 is the year when we prepare for the next general elections expected in the next one or two years' time, it could be as early as May next year to be concurrent with the Sarawak state elections," he said.

He thus said SAPP feels that the identification of seats to be contested by the various opposition parties against the BN cannot wait too long.

"We took pains to dispel PKR's misinformation earlier that SAPP will contest all 60 state seats in Sabah. But in order to fulfill the people's desire for an autonomous State government, SAPP had made it very clear that it is necessary that SAPP, a state party, shall contest a majority of seats. As of today, we are looking at 40 state constituencies and a corresponding number of parliamentary seats," he explained.

He continued that at the same time, SAPP has already conveyed its views June last year to the then Sabah PKR leader, who is presumably the head of Pakatan Rakyat in Sabah, that there should be a one-to-one straight fight with the BN at both the state and parliamentary levels.

While acknowledging the concern of some people that a split in the votes between SAPP and other opposition parties might let the BN win, Yong said SAPP will therefore strive to ensure that its candidates are able to garner at least 51% of the votes in each seat contested so that any split in the opposition votes would not affect the outcome.

The former Chief Minister of Sabah also disclosed that ever since it pulled out from BN, SAPP had conducted various leadership courses and seminars for its leaders

Like "Fight To Win", "Art of War", "Blue Ocean Strategy", "Women Empowerment" and "Creativity and Cyber War", as part of its preparations as the ｀Government in Waiting'.

"This expansion, consolidation and preparation will go on without any doubt in our mind as to the eventual success of our struggle," he stressed.

In addition to this, the Party also unveiled its own internet TV, the "Sabahtv.net" at the occasion, which showed two spectacularly-hilarious short feature films, one a parody based on John Woo's blockbuster movie, "The Red Clift", and another one a original work by SAPP's team of young talents.

The former was aimed chiefly to boost the fighting spirit of its leaders while the latter was to poke fun at a certain BN politician who got married recently.

Yong was also glad to note that the occasion saw a record number of new leaders, new members and new supporters, describing it as a resounding evident of the increasing attractiveness of SAPP to more and more people.

He further noted that unlike in the past where its anniversaries were mostly "free reunion dinners" for old members, this time around most of them including the new members, have to pay while the rest contributed voluntarily.

On top of that, it also raised more than RM7,000 cash donation to its fund from those who were present.

"It has become a party culture for our members and supporters to make a contribution at party functions. No doubt these financial contributions add to our resources. But it is the spirit of contributing to the cause that strengthens the resolve of members to "Fight To Win". This is the new spirit of struggle that I find most inspiring. This is the kind of spirit that will propel SAPP to victory," he said.

He also assured those members who failed to purchase tickets to attend this anniversary dinner due to space constraints, that its coming 14th Congress (the 2nd biennial delegates conference of the 4th term) this November will not be a disappointment.