All 11 candidates from the State Reform Party (Star) lost their deposits in the Sarawak state election, but despite this, Star president Lina Soo still claims ‘victory’.

In a statement today, Soo expressed her belief that her party did not lose and that the real losers were the other quarters.

“Have we lost? No, the real losers are those who voted for Malaya component party Barisan Nasional and Malaya parties DAP and PKR.

“The losers are those who could not see the bigger picture and did not vote a Sarawak party for the good of future generations of Sarawak,” she said.

Fielding candidates in 11 constituencies, Soo added, was a feat as the party did not field any candidate in the 2011 state election.

“To begin with, Star held no seats at all and in that sense it did not sustain any ‘massive loss’, even if the candidates have lost their election deposits.”

Furthermore, the party could claim victory on three issues, among them, how July 22 has been declared as ‘Sarawak Day’.

This, said Soo, was a result of the party’s campaign started on May 1, 2013, to have July 22 a public holiday for Sarawak.

Result of Star's public education

Pointing out how currently all politicians know about the 1963 Malaysia Agreement, Soo said this was also a result of Star’s educational public talks campaign initiated two years ago.

And citing Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem’s remarks made a day before polling day, where he declared that he would restore Sarawak’s status as one of the three sovereign states that signed the Malaysia Agreement, Soo said her party had urged for this in its election manifesto.

Seeking the repeal of Act 354(2) of the Federal Constitution, Soo urged Adenan to restore Sarawak’s equal partner status with Malaya and Sabah and also called upon DAP and PKR MPs to act to repeal the Act.

“If they fail to do so, it only shows their motive and agenda towards Sarawak is no different from BN – that they are here only to implement their agenda,” she said.

Soo became the party's president in April, after the death of her predecessor Patau Rubis in March.

Formed in 1996, the party has never won any parliamentary or state constituency in the elections it contested.