He stressed that under the formula, the party must get to keep all the seats that it won in GE13.

“We are not trying to belittle the local parties by saying this,” said Chan in a statement carried by Daily Express.

“There should be mutual respect. Give us the seats that we won.”

Chan has replaced Likas Assemblyman Junz Wong as Sabah DAP Secretary.

Chan said Junz and others, who left Sabah DAP for an undisclosed local party recently, were welcome to help strengthen their new platform, but not at his party’s expense.

“Please don’t try to take from us what we have worked so hard all these years. Also, don’t try to sweet-talk others into leaving as well.”

Sabah DAP Chairman Stephen Wong, in related remarks, warned that if Junz persisted with his “unprofessional” behaviour, it would hamper negotiations with former Umno Vice-President Shafie Apdal’s new party, which the Likas assemblyman was expected to join.

“We have already begun negotiations with Shafie’s new party.”

Stephen didn’t mince his words and referred to Junz as “an opportunist”.

“It’s one thing to leave for a new house, but don’t try to damage your old house as well at the same time.

“Why try to tear down the party that brought him (Junz) up?”

Stephen expressed disappointment that the Likas assemblyman had not turned out to be a true politician.

“If he was a true politician, he would try to entice BN members and not target the Sabah DAP members.”

He cautioned the people against placing too much hope on local-based parties being able to do better for Sabah compared with national parties.

“Let’s move away from narrow-minded local sentiments and look at the big picture,” said Stephen, who is also Sandakan MP.

“Even if a local party forms the Sabah Government, you will still need the Federal Government to makes changes to the Federal Constitution.”

Stephen added that national parties in Sabah and Sarawak had always been fighting for the same things that local parties brought up.

“Let’s throw Umno out of power,” said Stephen. “Our doors are always open to do that together. We need mutual respect to do that.”

According to insiders, Junz left Sabah DAP after getting a tongue-lashing from veteran Lim Kit Siang, who is also the Gelang Patah MP and DAP parliamentary leader, for putting out a statement that Kepayan Assemblyman Edwin Bosi was leaving the party.

Edwin, in the wake of several departures from the party in Sabah, has been appointed deputy chairman.

It is learnt that Junz has not decided whether to join Shafie Apdal or Klias Assemblyman Lajim Ukin, who will also be setting up a new party after leaving Sabah PKR as its chairman.

Api Api Assemblyperson Christina Liew Chin Jin Hadhikusumo has since replaced Lajim as Sabah PKR chairperson.