Speaking to the media in Sandakan today, Ongkili said he noticed DAP is constantly playing the blame game in its campaign for the Sandakan by-election and accusing PBS of wrongdoing, even referring to the local party as liars.
“Other than attacking us and engaging in character assassination, DAP’s campaign is essentially about making new promises,” he said.
Instead of outlining what they have done for the people, especially in Sandakan, after having represented the constituency for two terms since 2013, Ongkili said DAP has now added more promises on top of their many other unfulfilled pledges.
“Lim Kit Siang promised to set up a special council which DAP hopes would return this district to its former glory, which would comprise federal and state ministers.
“It is a laughable idea. He (Lim) is not even a member of the Cabinet. Who is he to decide the formation of an official committee?”
Ongkili said the sudden proposal also shows the incapability of the DAP candidate, Vivian Wong, with Lim volunteering to be the adviser of the special council, supposedly to share his ideas and time to monitor the implementation of projects here.
Lim had said the special council will be set up if Wong wins the Sandakan by-election this Saturday with a big majority.
Ongkili said he wondered whether both the federal and state governments had been consulted on the proposal to form the committee.
“It is just a classic case of ‘janji tarang bulan’ (a Sabahan idiom for ‘false promises’), and the Sandakan people should not fall into their trap and believe their sweet promises that they would be able to bring the glory days back to Sandakan,” he said.
He said PBS candidate Linda Tsen Thau Lin is an experienced leader and needs no coaching when it comes to managerial and administration work.
“She was a two-term MP and has voiced out the concerns of her constituents at previous Parliament sittings.
“Linda is the right voice for Sandakan,” said Ongkili.
Furthermore, Ongkili questioned Lim whether the setting up of the proposed council meant that the Sandakan Municipal Council would then become redundant.
On top of that, he also wanted to know whether there would be a budget for such a council, especially since both the federal and state governments had been making excuses that implementation of certain projects had to be put on hold due to insufficient funds.
Earlier today, Ongkili accepted 50 former Warisan members into PBS at a ceremony in Kg Sim-Sim, Sandakan.
In his speech, he recalled an incident in 1994 when he went and visited former chief minister Datu Mustapha Datu Harun in hospital.
“I remember, he was drinking tea and he talked to me, addressed me as ‘adik’ (brother), and said we must unite and speak up, defend our rights because we cannot trust these Malayan leaders.
“So, this is why, here today we stand together with United Sabah National Organisation (Usno) and we will form a coalition government in Sabah one day,” he said.