Fifteenth year of P.Patto’s passing – 12-7-2010
By Choo Sing Chye
Today, 15 years ago, P.Patto passed away leaving a void that until today is not filled. Although a decade and half has passed, the memory of his life is still vivid in the minds of those who had the opportunity to be with him in the fight for justice for the people.
Had he not died on July 1995, he would have become the Secretary General of the DAP. But as fate plays its role, this was never to be and DAP lost one of its most loyal sons and it seems nobody could ever step into his shoes – until today.
To commemorate him, I have randomly selected a file which strangely enough contains a statement written by him on the immoral acts of switching parties by MPs and SAs – a controversial topic at present.
P.Patto’s Press Statement on 3-1-1985:
The dirty and treacherous tactics employed by some to “buy” DAP and other Opposition parties elected representatives depicts the level of political immorality and corruption in the system.
The recent betrayal by Malacca State Assemblyman for Kubu, W.Y.Yong, is a classic example of how low the BN leadership is prepared to stoop in order to score some political points over the DAP.
The people of Malacca had elected W.Y.Yong thrice in three consecutive general elections on a DAP platform, rejecting decisively the BN in all these three elections. He had pledged, when he stood on the DAP platform, to work for the people of Malacca and that he will not betray them. And yet, he had betrayed the cause and the people of Malacca, probably for personal gains.
Betrayals by elected representatives who cross the floor when the carrot is held before their eyes cannot be condoned in any parliamentary system which adhered to the principles of parliamentary democracy. The choice by the electorates in any election or by-election must be held in high esteem and not treated as a licence to trade one’s position as a Member of Parliament or State Assemblyman for personal gains and glorifications.
The electorates vote a certain candidate in an election on account of his party’s platform or his personal principles if he is not a party candidate. The electorates elect a particular candidate to be their MP or SA for what their party stands for. But this trust placed by the electorates is totally ignored by some Opposition MPs or SAs when they put themselves up for sale.
Such acts of betrayal by individual elected representative must be brought to an end by way of legislation.
The government must respect the rights of the electorates to elect a certain candidate and anyone elected by the people must not be allowed to switch parties after the election for any purpose. One best way to put and end to such betrayal of the people’s trust is to introduce legislation whereby an elected representative elected on a particular party platform is barred from crossing the floor unless he resigns his seat and seeks a fresh mandate from his electorates by contesting on the new party’s ticket.
Political parties whose elected representatives are either expelled or resign from such parties must be made to seek a fresh mandate for the electorates, for the electorates had voted such candidates when they stood on their previous party platform.
Such a legislation will be a sure way to arrest political immorality and corruption now prevalent in the political arena.
