(Petaling Jaya, Thursday): I wish to announce that the first Sarawak DAP State Chairman, Chong Siew Chiang, has rejoined the DAP to help create a New DAP to build a New Malaysia in the new millennium.
Chong, lawyer, was the founder leader of the DAP in Sarawak. He was responsible for the establishment of the DAP in Sarawak in August 1978 and was the Sarawak DAP State Chairman for ten years from 1978-1988 and DAP National Vice Chairman from 1982-1988.
Chong resigned from the DAP for personal reasons in September 1996, and his application to rejoin the DAP has the full support and endorsement of the Sarawak DAP State leadership.
I welcome Chong Siew Chiang�s return to active politics in the DAP and I have no doubt that his vast political experience and expertise will be a great asset for the DAP to seize the present political opportunity to create a New Malaysia starting with the denial of two-thirds parliamentary majority to the Barisan Nasional in the forthcoming general elections.
Chong, 60, will also be an asset in the new phase of the party reform, renewal and rejuvenation programme as his 10-year experience at the helm of Sarawak DAP leadership and 18-year DAP membership will make him an invaluable contributor to the building of a New DAP.
With the withdrawal of the Sarawak DAP State Chairman, Jason Wong Sing Nang and the Sarawak DAP State Deputy Chairman, Richard Wong Ho Leng from the DAP CEC elections at the Party Congress on Saturday, the only Sarawak DAP State official standing for CEC elections is the Sarawak DAP State Secretary and DAP MP for Bintulu, Chiew Chiu Sing.
Chiew Chiu Sing has been a model Member of Parliament since the last general elections. Although the DAP has only one MP from Sarawak, DAP's one MP in Parliament has spoken more times in Parliament in the past 40 months than any Sarawak Barisan Nasional MP - in fact, one DAP MP in Parliament can take on the various Sarawak Barisan Nasional MPs together in terms of diligence and conscientiousness in speaking up to articulate the voice and aspirations of the people of Sarawak in the Malaysian Parliament.
I have high hopes that Sarawak DAP will play an important role in the next general elections to help deny the Barisan Nasional its parliamentary two-thirds majority by winning four to five parliamentary seats.
Chiew had played an important role in the 1996 Sarawak state general elections where for the first time in 18 years, Sarawak DAP made a historic breakthrough of winning Sarawak State Assembly seats - sending three DAP assemblymen to the Sarawak Assembly.
I am specially commending Chiew to the party delegates for election to the CEC because it is only right and proper that party delegates give recognition and appreciation for the big political strides which have been made by the Sarawak DAP in the past three years.
(20/8/98)