KOTA KINABALU: The people have lost their hopes for a real change in government with the current Pakatan Harapan leadership, says Sabah DAP's newly-minted secretary Phoong Jin Zhe.

       The Luyang assemblyman said rejuvenation of the current leadership in Pakatan Harapan was vital to recapturing the people’s hopes and aspirations for a better Malaysia.

       He added that there was also a need to restructure and restrategise ahead of the 15th General Election (GE15)

       “From what I read on social media as well as from our observations, people think that the current Pakatan leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim cannot deliver what the people are hoping for,” he said when contacted Tuesday (Nov 23).

       Phoong said this had been going on since 2013, when Anwar failed to get the results expected of him in leading Pakatan.

       He said with all due respect to the leader, it was not wrong to try and move towards another direction for the sake of rejuvenation of the party.

       “But I am not asking him to step down, nor am I indicating that he is responsible for the loss of the just concluded Melaka state elections, because that is a huge responsibility to shoulder and I do not want to put that blame on Anwar,” he said.

       Phoong also said that unity within the Opposition coalition was important to keep it strong.

       “These two points - unity and rejuvenation - do not contradict one another, but they complement each other,” he said.

       Unity within the Opposition, he said, would help them emerge stronger than before whereas the changes needed within would push for new ideas and new blood to meet the current aspirations of the people.

       “We all can work out a formula together to restart,” he added.

       Phoong's call echoed similar sentiments shared by Pahang DAP secretary Lee Chin Chen, who is also Bilut assemblyman, on Monday (Nov 22).