State chairman Stephen Wong said the proposed appointment of Jannie, a former Suhakan commissioner and indigenous rights campaigner, to the party’s central executive committee proved the party’s seriousness in helping native Sabahans.

“Unfortunately, there are those who still accuse us of being superficial as if we have just thought of this. Sabah DAP has always been attentive to the plight of the indigenous people.

“We even created a post to take care of that community and appointed Kepayan assemblyman and former DAP member Dr Edwin Bosi to the post,” he told FMT.

Bosi quit the party recently.

Wong said that with someone of Jannie’s credibility and reputation in the party, it would now be easier to convince the natives, especially those in the rural areas, of DAP’s commitment in advancing their cause.

Jannie, he said, had a long history of engaging with the native community and understood their problems and how to address them effectively.

He said the problems experienced by Sabah’s indigenous people were caused by the shortcomings of the Barisan Nasional government which failed in its responsibility to take care of the natives.

On Sunday, DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang said he would nominate Jannie, who is also the former Bersih 2.0 chairperson, for inclusion in the party’s CEC once its present tussle with the Registrar of Societies was resolved.

Jannie’s quick rise through the ranks of DAP, which she joined in January this year, has raised eyebrows, leading to speculation that DAP is wooing the rural indigenous people after its success in the urban areas.