DAP: Look Beyond the Past

We do not intend to appear overly supportive of keADILan. There is already enough e-mails from readers accusing us of being 'just another keADILan trick' to get to people - I certainly do not know what the 'other tricks' are. I have my reservation to pen my thought on this matter as eventually we will be accused of being pro-keADILan again, but this has to be addressed nonetheless.

Let it be known that we are very disappointed with the way DAP handled yet another case of its members applying to join keADILan. Throughout the week, DAP leaders were paraded in mainstream newspapers with their statements questioning keADILan's commitment to BA principles and struggles. I have to say keADILan's humility in not 'retaliating' with even more sensational statements was most refreshing - but that did not motivate DAP to confine this brotherly disagreement to BA Council of Leaders. KeADILan became a target of numerous statements; I found this disturbing because when Tian Chua opened his mouth on some issues connected to DAP in the past (e.g. Sarawak election); he would be accused as a novice and guilty of impropriety for not using the proper channel. Why on Earth then it is OK for some DAP leaders to go all out riding the mainstream media roller-coaster to discuss their disagreement with keADILan when the same principles should also apply here?

I might be a novice in politics - but it does not take a grand old politician to observe this: DAP defensive reactions to its members joining keADILan reflects very badly on the party's image. It contradicts many of its expounded policies on democracy, human rights, right for association and transparency. It makes matters worse when the individuals involved have had very limited participation in DAP's running so far - any attempt to bar them from continuing their political involvement would only be seen as an infringement of one's freedom. It puts DAP in the dock as the aggressor. This can be easily manipulated by the mainstream media as an act of revenge by some of DAP leadership to those accused of orchestrating KOKS campaign.

Even if this is not the case - this is the perception many people have. This is my perception - and if a staunch reformasi supporter like me questions this 'defensive reaction' policy, you can imagine what kind of perceptions the rakyat might have vis-à-vis this issue. DAP stands to lose all the way if it continues reacting this way. It needs to reevaluate its stand and study further why of late many members chose to leave the party and join keADILan. In fact this is not my suggestion, this has been voiced by some DAP stalwarts in the wake of this latest 'hiccup'.

DAP suffers a complex - commonly known as 'insecurity complex'.

Reformasi has changed Malaysian political landscape forever. For the first time in history, Malays become the mainstream opposition to BN hegemony. Suddenly, DAP finds itself in a way 'pushed' to the sideline despite its courageous struggle throughout the years.

The cause of multi-racial politics is now championed by a Malay based party i.e. keADILan. This destroys DAP hegemonic stature as the defender of the ethnic minority interest. Along with it, it destroys the perceived association of opposition to extreme Chinese communal politics as coined by the BN machinery for the past forty years.

Perhaps as a result of these developments, the non-Malay attitude towards opposition parties gradually changes over the past one year. Opposition activists from Chinese origin begin to join keADILan instead of DAP. KeADILan is seen as an answer to Malaysia's long search for a viable multi-racial alternative to break BN's communal 'divide and conquer' approach.

I would sympathize with DAP if it feels it is being 'marginalised' slowly.

But that should not be the attitude of a valiant champion of Malaysian democracy who holds the beacon burning over the years. It should look back and be satisfied that its efforts and struggles over the years have finally come to fruition. Multi-racial parties are no longer alien or 'hopeless' in Malaysian politics. In fact, the Malays have finally begun a journey to reconcile their differences with other ethnic groups and fight a common struggle - a monumental achievement and the role played by DAP should not be under emphasised. The environment now is more conducive for national integration as Malays have become the proponent for the integration; not an opponent. This provides extra intangible security needed all this while to convince other ethnic groups that there is hope after all.

But most of all - DAP should look for the future, not its past. Its membership base should no longer be confined to urban Chinese and Indian communities, it now has the opportunity to expand its membership to Malays too. Its association with BA has tremendously changed Malays view of DAP and so far this has not been utilised to its advantage.

It will be a sad day if DAP continues to romanticise the past. We have a bigger struggle to wrestle the nation from BN, we do not have the time to argue on who has the claim on which community or who traditionally contested which seat.

Above all, we do not have the leisure to let opportunities go unfulfilled. DAP should review its policies in the past and learn to be more pro-active in the future with respect to its members joining keADILan or other opposition parties. Brotherly engagement is more productive to ensure everyone benefits from these opportunities - being paraded by our enemies to downgrade a partner is too counter-productive for the people's struggle.

Let everyone learns from this experience.

Elena Yong