PETALING JAYA: DAP has conceded defeat in the 17th Sabah Election and has failed to retain any of its previously held seats, says Anthony Loke.
The DAP secretary-general said he took full responsibility for the party's shortcomings.
"DAP Sabah has failed to retain any of the seats it previously held.
"We accept and respect the decision of voters in the eight constituencies contested by DAP," he said in a statement on Saturday (Nov 29) night.
DAP suffered a heavy defeat, with unofficial results showing the party lost all eight seats it contested. The party's biggest setback came in Tanjung Aru, where Sabah DAP deputy chairman Datuk Chan Foong Hin, who is also Deputy Plantation and Commodities Minister, was unseated by Warisan.
Contesting under the Pakatan Harapan banner, DAP was also outperformed in other constituencies, including Sri Tanjong, Kapayan, Elopura, Likas, Luyang and Tanjung Papat.
Loke also congratulated the parties and candidates who were given the mandate by voters in these constituencies.
"The party leadership will take lessons from this outcome, reassess our shortcomings and work to regain public support in the next election," he said.
Despite the setback, Sabah DAP still has two parliamentary representatives. Both MPs will redouble their efforts and initiatives in Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan, said Loke.
The election saw a record 596 candidates contesting the 73 state seats.
