SANDAKAN: All eyes were on Datin Chong Mee Fook as she took the stage to deliver words of support and encouragement at the DAP Ceramah Perdana here, on Saturday evening.
Dressed in black, the wife of late Sandakan MP Datuk Stephen Wong called on all attendees to continue supporting her husband by voting for their daughter Vivian Wong Shir Yee on May 11.
Vivian, who is Stephen's youngest daughter, will go up against four candidates to keep the Sandakan parliamentary seat, which her father won in two elections, within the family.
"The sudden death of my husband on March 28 was painful. He did not just leave his wife and children but all of us.
"He left his dreams and unfinished work, such as visiting the old folks home in Kinarut (Papar district).
"However, I must thank Keningau DAP for inviting me and my daughter (Vivian) to realise this dream in early April. They said 'Vivian bring your mother out. There's no use crying, go do something'.
"When we visited the old folks home, we brought ang pow for the residents. There were 86 of them. When I gave them the ang pow, they gave me the sweetest smiles (so much so) that it cured my pain. It gives me strength to stand before you now," Chong said to loud applause and cheers.
She said there were many tasks her husband was unable to complete, and stressed that their daughter Vivian is committed to continuing the unfinished work.
Chong added that her vote would go to Vivian and expressed hope that Sandakan constituents would rally behind her husband and daughter.
Earlier, in delivering her speech, Vivian said she joined DAP at the age of 22 along with her father, when the party was the opposition.
"I have been with the party for eight years and the experience I got is more than enough," she said, stressing that among her areas of focus would be to empower youth and improve the economy.
She then proceeded to ask whether there were youth in the hall, to which only a handful of hands were raised.
"Where are our youth? Many of us have degrees but can't get jobs in Sandakan because the economy is not good. There are no job opportunities.
"If you vote for me, you are not just voting for me but all the youth. Give us new hope. The youth are our future and we must utilise them," she said.