DAP will perform well in S'wak state election: says party veteran

Johor Baru: Johor DAP veteran, Dr. Boo Cheng Hau (pix) expressed his confidence that DAP will do well in the Sarawak state election when contacted by theSun.

"DAP and it's allies competing in the same constituencies have happened in the past and it would not have a significant impact on voters. The impact is small." he said.

Sarawak DAP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) are set to lock horns in six seats, namely Batu Kitang, Mulu, Murum, Simanggang, Ngemah and Mambong after talks to reach an amicable solution could not be reached.

"Despite DAP facing candidates from Pakatan Harapan, they can still work together for national interests," said Boo who is the former Johor opposition chief from 2008 to 2015.

On the Save Malaysia initiative, he thinks it is better for NGOs to lead the movement.
"People will be a bit suspicious if it was led by political party leaders," he said.

However, he believes the nation needs constitutional changes in order to achieve a more democratic country.

"Even the party itself need to change its internal election system. All these years, I have proposed that a new system was needed for the party election.

We need to emulate America, let the grassroots pick the candidate first, and need some mechanism to introduce a new system to decide the best candidate for the party," he said.
In 2015, Boo failed to retain seat in the Johor DAP liason Committee election, he stepped down as state opposition chief because he felt he could not get the support from his own party.

Today, however, he does not feel marginalized by his party.
"As a man with principals and one that upholds integrity, I have never regreted what I have done."

The veteran DAP man believes a political party needs to ensure their leaders provide good governance if it is the ruling party while the opposition party needs to perform well and uphold the democratic parliamentary system of government under the Westminster system.

"All DAP state assemblymen in Johor are performing well and will keep improving," he said.