Malay interests now an issue between DAP and PKR

(The Star) – The haggling for seats in Penang has extended to a dispute over Malay interests between the DAP and PKR. DAP official Zulkifli Mohd Noor criticised state PKR committee member Abdul Malik Abul Kassim for allegedly implying that the DAP is incapable of managing the interests of the Malays.

Zulkifli, who is the DAP’s Malay affairs coordinator, is not happy that Abdul Malik had criticised Penang Malay Congress president Rahmad Isahak over a recent comment.

Rahmad had reportedly said that since the PKR and PAS had failed to live up to the expectations of the Malays in Penang, the DAP should be given more allocations of Malay-majority seats.

“The Malays had previously contested under the DAP in Penang,” said Zulkifli, citing the late Ahmad Nor as an example.

Ahmad, a former DAP vice-chairman, had contested and won the Bayan Baru parliamentary seat.

“I too had contested,” said Zulkifli, who lost to a Barisan Nasional candidate in Bukit Bendera in 2004.

“PKR is a newcomer and should respect those who have the seniority and experience ahead of them.”

Denying claims by a state PKR leader that there were only “three to four” Malay leaders in the DAP, Zulkifli said there were 500 Malay members in Bayan Baru alone.

“I was told Bayan Baru has the biggest DAP branch and the majority are Malays,” he said on Saturday.

Zulkifli warned Abdul Malik, who is Batu Maung assemblyman, not to be complacent about his state seat as he could be facing a woman independent candidate.

Reacting to the criticisms, Abdul Malik said he did not know in what context the “DAP Malay” entity existed in the party.

“As far as I know, DAP subscribes to a multi-racial principle where there are Malay, Chinese and Indians in the party. I do not know how this DAP Malay movement came about.”

State PKR information head Sim Tze Tzin said the matter of seat representation should be left to the Pakatan leadership to decide.