Thursday, March 13, 2008

DAP to boycott MB swear-in. What the fuck for?

I would have respected DAP more if they had stood firm and insisted that one from their 18 state assemblymen be made MB or if they had just outright supported a Malay-Muslim from PKR or PAS. At least either of the two would be a clear, unequivocal stand of their position, whatever the outcome or consequences.

However DAP dillied and dallied. They didn't want to appear uncompromising to Malays (who were insisting on a Malay-Muslim MB), but they also didn't want to appear compliant (like MCA) in the eyes of the Chinese - who rather get their nipples frozen off than get a religious fanatic from PAS for a MB.

So, DAP gambled... agreeing to a ridiculous stalemate of one MB candidate each from DAP/PKR/PAS and letting HRH the sultan decide. Obviously they banked on HRH doing their dirty work for them. Well the gamble didn't pay off, and a man from PAS will become MB despite the party holding only 6 lousy seats in the state assembly.

Now that the decision in favour of PAS has been made, DAP has lost the Chinese audience. That goes without saying. But they still have a chance of salvaging some benefit from all this by endearing themselves somewhat to the Malays, by magnanimously accepting and maybe even embracing the appointment.

But what does LKS do? He spits the dummy and throws a tantrum after the fact, when nasi sudah menjadi bubur. All I can say is... "WHAT THE FUCK FOR?"

By boycotting the swearing-in, DAP loses both ways. Firstly, it's too little too late to regain the confidence and trust of the Chinese. And secondly, it reinforces the perception of Malays that DAP is still Chinese chauvinist. On top of that, you're dissing the sultan and raja muda.

Also, it makes DAP look really childish and petty. You gambled... you lost. Just suck it in and take one on the chin, dammit.

But having said that... I will say this to PAS MB-elect, Mohamad Nizar Jamaludin. If you even breathe the words 'NEP, haram, tutup aurat' when it comes to state policy or take any steps to make my pork noodles, Toto and Guinness Stout less accessible than usual, you'll be bitch slapped so fast that your head will spin. Shit like that is okay in 95% Muslim Kelantan, but not in 47% non-Muslim Perak.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

lim kit siang is no longer relevant!

why was BN not being offered a chance to form the Govt in Perak. After all BN (a registered party) won 28 seats. if after failing to form the govt only then the offer goes to the party with the next most number of seats.

and who is lim kit siang to protest when dap won only 18 seats. combine with pkr - 25 still no fight with BN.

so shaddap lim kit siang.

we will never vote for DAP again. period.

Anonymous said...

Very stupid of LKS. The Sultan was testing you guys on whether BA can really work together. If I am the Sultan, I will retract the appointment of BA candidates and asked BN to form the state govt instead.
Wake up la LKS. It is also partly your fault for: -
1. Not fielding any Malay candidates.
2. Never state your point befoe the 3 names was submitted to the Sultan.
I really regret supporting DAP. Apa bangsa Malaysia? Can't you see the bigger picture? A small sacrifice today by DAP may be rewarded with a bigger gain in the future.

Anonymous said...

Subject: Strong disappointment on DAP's decision over Perak Menteri Besar

From: Gerald Khor
Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2008 08:32 AM
To: dap.malaysia@pobox.com; khleee@pc.jaring.my; creditcard@dapmalaysia.org; jeffooi.screenshots@gmail.com
Subject: Re: Strong disappointment on DAP's decision over Perak Menteri Besar

To my beloved DAP leaders,

Hope this message get to your CEC members as well.

Why you want to sour the already fragile relationship with PAS, at a time where you can work towards strengthening it? PAS has shown willingness to discuss Barisan Rakyat and we rakyat is happy to see the formation of Barisan Rakyat to realize the dream of 2-party system, as long as it carry a mandate of secular state for Malaysia.

And why such a flip-flop? Where is DAP's integrity? DAP Perak pledged to abide by Sultan of Perak's choice of Menteri Besar just a day earlier. Why DAP CEC rejects it? Why not discuss this among PAS, PKR and DAP? Why does it has to go public, and in such high profile? You guys are not better than Pak Lah nor BN in handling such situation.

Your report card is already tainted. Go mend the fence now and take corrective action immediately.

regards,
Gerald Khor

ps: Don't know which email address to use thus use whatever email addresses I know to hope to get my message across.

----- Original Message ----
From: Gerald Khor
To: dap.malaysia@pobox.com
Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2008 12:11:39 AM
Subject: Strong disappointment on DAP's decision over Perak Menteri Besar

Dear YB Karpal Singh, YB Lim Kit Siang, YB Lim Guan Eng,

As a supporter of DAP that believe strongly in "Malaysian's Malaysia ", I wish to express my strong disappointment on DAP's decision to disapprove Perak Sultan's selection of the next Menteri Besar (from a PAS representative). At the very least, please respect the choice made by Sultan Azlan Shah.

We just witness a new era in Malaysia politics after 8th March that gave so much hope to the people of this lovely nation. The loose pact between DAP, PAS and PKR scored big win in GE2008. Please keep up the good work and strengthen the pact. In fact, you guys should just formalize the pact and form Barisan Rakyat as suggested by many concerned Malaysians. Chinese voted for PAS and Malay voted for DAP on 8th March. I personally called my family members to make sure they vote no BN candidates. It is time that DAP seriously consider formalizing a pact with PAS and PKR. PAS seems to come a long way and is becoming more moderate. A pact should be made if PAS can drop their mandate to form an Islamic country.

Please don't let this pact break away because of selection of Perak Menteri Besar. It is no doubt an important post but the next General Election will be even more important. The bigger task for DAP, PAS and PKR is to prove to the rakyat that you guys can be good government, starting with showing good results in Kedah, Kelantan, Penang, Perak and Selangor. It is a bad start to score an "E" for this fiasco. Furthermore PAS has given its words to work closely with the coalition government in Perak, and DAP has more seats and have been promised the most EXCO members. Give and take will go a long way for this young coalition.

I am a Chinese from Taiping and I have no problem seeing a PAS representative as Perak's Menteri Besar, as long as there is no Islamic rules (as yet) like those in Kelantan. Given the Constitutional constraints and the state's demographics, it is fair to have a Malay State Assemblyman to be appointed as Menteri Besar with a Chinese and Indian Naib Menteri Besar representing the other two major races.

The rakyat is still trying to grasp with the new scene in Malaysia politics. For me hailing from Perak, I know it is not easy for the Chinese in Perak to accept a PAS rep as Menteri Besar but we are ready to give him a chance to perform. People voted him (and his coalition government) in this time round. People can vote him out the next time. And we hope DAP will put national interest before party to give this man a chance to perform with his comrades in the Perak State Assembly as well.

If DAP cannot resolve this fiasco properly, all the manifestos and promises given pre-election will not be relevant anymore. Walk-the-talk. Integrity is everything. Otherwise DAP is no different from any BN component parties. And I will regret very much the thousands of dollar donation I made to DAP Malaysia in Jan and Feb 2008.

Thank you for your attention.

regards,
Gerald Khor

ps: http://www.malaysia-today.net/2008/content/view/4246/1/ has a lot more feedback for your attention.

ps: Somehow http://dapmalaysia.org/newenglish/feedback.htm does not work properly thus a direct email.

Anonymous said...

Hi Sean,
Cannot agree with you more. You are absolutely right on the current cock up the DAP got itself in.

Yes, we will not vote DAP ever again. I think they did not expect to win Perak in the first place, hence they were so damn disorganised.

By the way, BJTOTO just drop 5%. I think they are worried about no gambling in Kedah.

3rd-Eye.

Anonymous said...

I think its not fair to criticise LKS like that, he is trying to do the non-malay Perakians a favour. From what i see in the news about Ong Ka Chuan kept on accusing DAP cheated voters in Perak by allowing PAS becomes MB, LKS must have thought that the non-malay voters are unhappy and afraid of PAS MB. So to make the voters happy(as he thought so), he opposed to PAS being MB.

It was commonly misunderstood by Malays that he is discriminating malay's Ketuanan or favouring the chinese or being racist by opposing, but it is clear that he wasnt, as he agreed to the appointment of a malay PKR to be MB, just not PAS. I believe the crowd that protest outside of the palace is made by started by UMNO to make the problem look worse.

After he made the boycott order, he got lots of feedback from Perakians from all races that they are fine with PAS being MB, so he apologised and took back his words. So i believe this is a misunderstanding by LKS due to the accusation by MCA Ong Ka Chuan about what the Perakians wants.