I came across this Facebook post by DAP’s Yeo Bee Yin (left) yesterday – her Sarawak experience during the last GE and I would like to share it with everybody:
“I was the campaign director for DUN Tasik Biru but no matter how much the team and I tried and how much risk I took upon myself, we weren't able to win the rural seat to make this the first Sarawak rural seat won by the DAP. While there's no excuse to lose, we achieved progress we never made in previous elections.
This is a constituency (that) comprises of 68% Dayak, 6% Malay Melanau and only 26% Chinese, which was the traditional support base for the DAP. Yet we were able to win 45% of the votes and (a) majority in 4 out of 20 Dayak villages! This was totally unimaginable for the DAP even until 2013.
When the result that we had lost was announced, many of us in the campaign team could not hold back our tears. We hugged each other and cried. All our hard works in the past few months especially that of the candidate Mordi Bimol for the past 5 years could not overcome money politics, cash handouts, election promises as well as fear and intimidation.
But the DAP cannot give up on Tasik Biru and our rural outreach because of this temporary setback.
I remember the lady who wore the UBAH t-shirt with pride carrying her baby and walked with torch light in the dark kampong path leading up to our ceramah venue; I remember many of the villagers despite having financial difficulties stood with us against the big money from Barisan Nasional; I remember having discussions with the single mothers who canvassed for us but were fearful that their involvement in the campaign would deprive their children of the opportunities to study and scholarships; I remember the village lady who told me determinately that her vote and dignity cannot be bought with money; I remember the faces of all of the campaign workers that were full of pride when the candidate Mordi said in his defeat speech that “we have fought the battle with dignity and principle”; I remember every face that looked to Mordi with the hope of change and for a better future. I remember all of them.
We must remember that the history is long and we must become the worst enemy for the corrupt government, an enemy that will never give up until justice prevail on our land. Ubah Sarawak! Ubah Malaysia!”
I salute her and the other dedicated cadres for their tireless efforts to change Sarawak. More importantly, I salute her for believing that even when hope like a flickering candle is about to die out – she will do everything necessary to make sure the flame is not extinguished.
Sure, DAP lost – but it is worth remembering that to fight and lose is far better than not to fight at all. This is not the time to yield. There shall be no surrender.
The fight must go on.
It is true what Simon Sinek said: “Don't quit. Never give up trying to build the world you can see, even if others can't see it. Listen to your drum and your drum only. It's the one that makes the sweetest sound”.
Fellow Malaysians, please let’s not even entertain the thought of giving up! Don’t give up! Never give up!
I was in Petaling Jaya to attend the IEM Toastmasters meeting on Thursday.
And I delivered my CC #7 speech titled “The Death Leap”. My CC round #39.
In fact, I was the sole speaker.
