Ex-Stampin MP coy whether he will be contesting in next state polls

Julian Tan

By Lian Cheng

KUCHING, Jan 23: Former Stampin MP Julian Tan is leaving his political fate to the Democratic Action Party (DAP) top leadership.

He was non-committal when asked if he would be standing for DAP in the next state election as he seemed to be very active on the ground and calling for press conferences regularly.

“It is the culture of the party to walk the ground regardless of who we are, including the volunteers, as we all have the same purpose, and that is for the betterment of the country.

“Everyone will have to go to the ground and be ready when called by the party,” said Tan, explaining his relatively high exposure in the press recently.

“At the end of the day, the party will decide who is suitable for which areas,” Tan told DayakDaily when met at the DAP headquarters here today.

He added that the party’s strategy in facing elections was also one of the factors affecting candidacy, and DAP members would have to accept the party’s decisions.

“In politics, strategy changes all the time, and DAP members and leaders will fully support the party’s decisions.”

On why he did not defend his seat in the 2018 General Election, he said it was because he wanted to focus on his studies.

“I am doing a post-graduate study, a PhD, in aerospace engineering, which is a full research study. I also wanted to give way to younger people,” he claimed.

When told that he was giving way to Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen, who is not a “younger person” per se, he explained that it was only as he was willing to give up his seat for Chong that the latter could move from Bandar Kuching to Stampin.

Only when Chong moved to Stampin could Chong’s seat in Bandar Kuching be vacated for DAP new face Dr Kelvin Yii. — DayakDaily