DAP’s Ubah or Ubah DAP?

ARCHIVES 2012

By admin-s On Dec 19, 2012

What should the DAP delegates have done? Should they have voted for tokenism or for what promises the candidates hold for the party’s continuing success, service to the public and the nation’s future, based on the candidates policy declarations during the party election campaign?

KTemoc Konsiders

Do you recognize this man?

He is Tan Seng Giaw.

Just in case you don’t know or can’t recognize him, I’ll leave it to Wikipedia (plus a wee add-ons and where relevant, corrections by me) to provide a glimpse of who he is:

Tan Seng Giaw (Chinese : 陈胜尧) is a Malaysian politician from the Democratic Action Party. He was born on 26 May 1942 in Kota Baru, Kelantan. After attending Primary and High School in Kelantan and Penang respectively, he furthered his education at Plymouth College and Leeds University, England.

His multi-cultural academic and social background has resulted in Seng Giaw being fluent in Mnadarin, English, Bahasa Malaysia, and competent in the writing of Malay in the Jawi script. Seng Giaw’s academic qualifications include a M.B.Ch. B. (Leeds), D. Obs. R.C.O.G, M.R.C.P (UK) and finally a M.D. honours (Leeds) in 1976. […]

His social activities today include the office of Pengerusi Kehormat of Persatuan Murid-murid Tua, Chung Ling for the states of Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang and uala Lumpur.

Tan’s political involvement began in 1976, during which he served the people of Kepong on behalf of Dr. Tan Chee Khoon. He is was the Democratic Action Party’s National Vice Deputy Chairman and Member of Parliament for the constituency of Kepong [since 1982. In March 2008 he won by a majority of 23,848 votes].

In 1972, Dr. Tan married Oon Hong Geok, a paediatrician and has two daughters. His wife used to be active in the political scene and represented Taman Aman, Petaling Jaya as a state assemblywoman.

In parliament he plays a sterling role, serving on the Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) as Deputy Chief (to UMNO’s Azmi Khalid) and has been a vigilant watchdog on behalf of the public in scrutinizing government finance and expenditure.

Tan Seng Giaw (L) and Azmi Khalid (R)

Awesome, isn’t he?

BUT …

But during the just completed DAP party elections, he was NOT placed in the top 20 for the CEC.

Why was he unsuccessful? Well, my easy answer would be ‘lots of reasons’, wakakaka.

But anyway, look at his seniority in DAP (years and then Deputy chairperson), his tenure as a DAP MP since 1982 with his most recent victory in 2008 recording a resounding majority that tsunami-ed his MCA opponent away into the Straits of Malacca, and his contributions to both party and nation, etc etc etc.

Yet he was NOT voted into the CEC top 20, but had to be co-opted as one of 10 selected (not voted).

We may deem him as not popular enough among the party delegates to be voted in. Hmmm, maybe he didn’t campaign enough or effectively on his own behalf among the party delegates?

OK, lamentable as the DAP party election result has been for Tan Seng Giaw who is no longer the party’s deputy chairperson, hasn’t it been democratic?

His non-election as one of the top 20 CEC members had been the decision of the voting delegates, and could not be manmanlai-ed a la the style of another party where in its deputy presidential election the total of the votes for 2 candidates at a location exceeded the number of party voters registered, with a party returning officer then questionably declaring a draw wakakaka.

As Lim Guan Eng stated: “We do not control who the delegates choose. We accept the results (of the elections). This is democracy.”

Look also at two other high profile DAP leaders – Teresa Kok and DAP Perak Chief, Ngeh Koo Ham.

Everyone knows the Sassy MP, and I admit I love her (her competency lah, wakakaka).

Teresa as Seputeh MP holds the record for the biggest majority for an election victory in any parliamentary constituency. As Kinrara ADUN, she heads the party with the second most number of ADUNs and should have been deputy MB Selangor but for PAS’ objections (during the Solar-Powered era) and Khalid Ibrahim’s lack of spine in supporting her due status.

She’s very active and productive and thus very high profile in her parliamentary and state duties and was once ISA-ed. She was also falsely accused by UMNO of criticizing azan calls, an indication of their fear of her immense popularity among her Malay constituencies.

But she almost didn’t make it into the CEC, being voted at an uncomfortable 18th place. The poor darling sweetie explained that her role as party organizing secretary and some of her difficult and unpopular decisions had affected the voting. But nonetheless, she was placed at 18th when you would have expected her to be among the top 5.

Ngeh Koo Ham

Now, Ngeh Koo Ham has gained the unfortunate notoriety of controlling a faction within the Perak DAP which is at odds with another DAP stalwart, Kulasegaran. Kula has the last laugh by coming in at 16th for the elected CEC, while Ngeh very nearly didn’t make it, and just squeezed into 20th position.

Kulasegaran

Maybe the 2576 DAP delegates voting at the party election are against certain Chinese, people like Tan who along with 47 other candidates didn’t make it? Maybe they have been against Teresa and Ngeh too, though not vigorous enough to cut them out of the top 20?