Chin now believes the time has come for BN to avenge the shock defeat after people there have seen the lack of funding as well as progress under the watch of the opposition.
“Even if we lose again, we won’t lose big. We will give them a big fight.
“I have to admit it will be an uphill battle because the trend in urban areas is very much leaning towards the opposition. But I think the situation has improved a lot,” the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) vice-president told FMT.
“Being an opposition politician, you don’t have access to funds to improve facilities and drive progress. So, if you elect an opposition candidate, you have to be ready for a lack of progress,” Chin said.
Asked to respond to Chin’s claim about BN’s chances in Likas, Wong scoffed at the suggestion.
He said regardless of who is fielded against BN, the ruling coalition did not have any chance of reclaiming Likas.
Wong resigned from DAP in October 2016 before joining Parti Warisan Sabah, which appointed him a vice-president.
While Warisan had declared it was willing to work with Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the coming polls, Warisan and Sabah DAP, a PH component, seem to have a precarious relationship at times.
But that would not stop Warisan from cooperating with the party to create a winning formula to topple BN, Wong said.
“If Warisan and DAP can work together, it’s either Warisan or DAP that will win Likas. BN will lose very badly in a head-to-head contest.
“However, even if the opposition parties can’t work together, BN will still lose. That is a fact.
“The next election is not about personal pride, but about Sabah, about change. Whether I stand in Likas or not, we will still work with them,” Wong said of cooperation between Warisan and DAP.
Wong, a first-term elected representative, managed an impressive 7,746 votes in 2013, soundly beating Chin, who garnered 2,094 votes.
Sabah Progressive Party president Yong Teck Lee came in third after securing a mere 1,487 votes while the fourth candidate was Ho Cheong Tshun of STAR who garnered 155 votes.
In that election, more than 77% of the 15,312 electorates in Likas comprised Chinese voters, while non-Muslim Bumiputera accounted for almost 16% and Muslim Bumiputera slightly over 3%.
Wong insists he has a good chance of retaining the seat if he is re-nominated because of the many issues he has helped to address in Likas.
However, he admitted that it might be difficult to convince the Chinese community of his decision to leave DAP for Warisan.
“It was hard at first, as they felt I made the wrong choice in leaving DAP.
“But now they understand why I did it and understand Warisan’s struggle. But, of course, some still cannot accept why I made the jump,” he said.
Wong said the issues he had managed to help solve in Likas included upgrading of drainage systems, road extensions, parking problems, flash floods, threat of landslides due to hill projects and preservation of wetlands.
He added that he worked closely with the Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) and the public works department (JKR) to address the problems in his area.
“I thank the government department and agencies, as they have done their part,” Wong said.
“I would like to think that I’ve done okay so far. I’m also always reachable.
“As far as funds for development are concerned, opposition representatives will not receive anything from the government. It’s unfair but that’s how it is.”
Chin, however, rubbished the idea that Wong had brought any progress to Likas, saying: “I didn’t see him solving a single issue.”
“I just want to ask, when did he go and see them (government departments and agencies)? I’ve never seen him near JKR or DBKK because if he did, he would splash it in the newspapers,” Chin said.
He said the Likas community development unit (UPPM) he heads was the one that addressed the plight of the people and brought many issues to the attention of the government.
Chin also believed Wong would not defend his Likas seat because he knew that it was a lost cause.
“He will not stand in Likas again. He realises he has not done much for his area. I don’t think he can win,” he said, adding DAP will also not give up the constituency to another party.