Something fishy about Lim’s offer to Tunku Aziz…
JUST READ
First, Penang CM Lim Guan Eng offered Tunku Aziz a senior fellowship at an institute after DAP refused to renew his senatorship. It was a punishment for his dissent over Bersih 3.0 and for making ‘unapproved’ statements to the media.
Soon after that, Lim’s political secretary, Zairil Khir Johari called and repeated the offer, along with a stipend of RM50,000.
Within hours later, Lim Kit Sing made a statement that whatever Tunku Aziz’s decision was, the latter and the rest of the DAP leadership must ‘part as gentlemen’.
So precious was Tunku Aziz to the DAP that they have to persuade him to stay and offer him a position and cash. What does the former party vice-chairman has in his hands that his departure stirred the party so much?
Although there were suggestion that his decision to quit will not deter the Malays in DAP – and while police reports are made against Guan Eng over his offer – DAP seems to be shaken by it.
Why? DAP is in the process of wooing more Malays as members. Tunku Aziz was the only Malay holding a senior post in the party in many years. Although he is considerably a new figure in the party and for holding the position for three years, he made some ‘window dressing’ that DAP is not a party for the Chinese only.
He managed to change the perception that DAP is a true democratic party despite not having a leadership election for so many years.
It was under his era that some Malays, including former Umno members, joined DAP while the support for the party among radical Malay students was rising.
However, Tunku Aziz is a moderate man. Throughout his tenure as DAP vice-chairman, never had he criticised the government bluntly. As a senator, he often gave positive comments and feedback about certain government policy.
Yes, he was with the Opposition but he is constructive one. This differed him from the rest of Pakatan Rakyat MPs who would attack each and every government’s policy and development approach. While he took a constructive approach, his team mates preferred to be destructive.
DAP and its allies in Pakatan Rakyat are perhaps the only Opposition team in the world that find everything is wrong about the ruling government. Nothing that the government did had gotten their support or a word of appraisal. The government may not be at all perfect but aren’t they suppose to lend assistance as to how some policies could be further improved?
