According to the two-term assemblyman, he felt played out by the party leadership after he was not appointed to the state committee since the party polls in 2016.
He added that his omission from the committee was all the more surprising as he had been an elected representative when the state party polls were held in 2018 and 2021.
Chong, who last night announced he was leaving DAP along with Sri Tanjong assemblyman Justin Wong and former senator Adrian Lasimbang, said though feeling left out, he still stayed on until the party polls last November.
“Even in the Sabah elections in September 2020, Warisan was the one that issued me the surat watikah (candidacy letter) … it was not from DAP. The party rejected me (as a candidate),” he told FMT.
“It’s not that I don’t want DAP but the chairman doesn’t want me. That’s why I resigned.”
Chong, who had previously voiced his frustration over the results of the Sabah DAP polls last year, said he had given the party three months to convince him to stay but that “no one called him”.
“I have been with DAP since 2012, and I worked hard for the party and the people in my area but nobody appreciated what I did.
“I feel so fed up and that’s why I resigned on my own accord,” he added.
In announcing their departure from DAP last night, Wong claimed there was a lack of trust in the Sabah DAP leadership, particularly Poon.
He claimed the loss of direction, serious internal division and lack of communication between leaders had caused them to believe that the party was no longer striving for the people’s good.
FMT has reached out to Poon, who said he will release a statement sometime today.
On his future plans, Chong said he would remain as an independent assemblyman for the time being, similar to what Wong had mentioned last night.
“I am not pro-government or for the opposition. I don’t have any plans to link up with any party.
“I just want to serve the people in Elopura,” he said while dismissing talk that he and Wong were poised to join Warisan.
Sabah DAP is now left with only four assemblymen, namely Poon (Tanjong Papat), Phoong Jin Zhe (Luyang), Jannie Lasimbang (Kapayan) and Tan Lee Fatt (Likas).
Meanwhile, Adrian said they had lost faith in the Sabah DAP leadership under Poon’s stewardship. He claimed Poon had not initiated anything to unite the party and solidify its position in the state.
“Instead, his focus is on the interests of his followers,” he said in a statement.
“Sabah DAP needs to revamp in order to avoid manipulation by certain individuals, eradicate the ‘godfather’ mentality and ensure it is more inclusive, especially towards the Orang Asal community, to become members.”
At the same time, he said he still believed Pakatan Harapan (PH) had an important mission to bring about change in Malaysia but hoped the leadership could come up with a new formula and work with parties that wanted change in the country.
Adrian said he would take a rest from politics for now and focus his time on the Orang Asal movement.