Loke minta maaf kalah di Chennah, akui cabaran tembusi sokongan Melayu

DAP Secretary-General Loke Siew Fook has expressed regret to DAP delegates over his defeat in the Penang state legislative assembly seat of Chennah, following his loss to the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Siow Kong Choon in the Negeri Sembilan PRN election on August 1, 2021. Loke clarified that his contestation was not merely a personal endeavor, but rather an attempt to prove that DAP could garner broader support among voters from diverse ethnic backgrounds.

However, he acknowledged that the mission was unsuccessful as the party failed to secure the necessary support from Malays and Orang Asli in the expected seats. Loke apologized to the delegates for the loss in Chennah, emphasizing that DAP needs to find a way to bridge the political divide if it wishes to expand its reach among the populace.

The transportation minister was defeated by Siow Kong Choon with a majority of 688 votes. Loke also announced his resignation as the president of DAP Negeri Sembilan, a position he held for 22 years, citing responsibility for the defeat in Chennah and Repah. Despite the party's narrow victory in nine seats and failure to retain two others, Loke reminded DAP members that they should not weaken their struggle, as the party had faced numerous defeats throughout its history.

"We have had wins and losses. We have had many defeats in the early stages of our struggle, but we have never given up and kept moving forward," Loke stated. "As long as we do not give up, the future of DAP will be accepted by the majority of Malaysian citizens."