The transformation of DAP
The nature of a party predicts its destiny. The DAP was formerly lauded as ‘the father of hawkers’ while the MCA was termed ‘the party of boss’. Nonetheless, the MCA is part of the dominant power. The MCA cannot stand abreast with the general public in many occasions; that includes the Clean Elections Campaign, Anti Lynas, Dong Jiao Zong’s Peaceful Assembly of Petition. All these alienate itself from the general public and make way for DAP to grab the upper hand politically.
Lim Sue Goan, Sin Chew Daily
The DAP is the only party which braved to hold its intra-party election before the general elections and proceed to its power transfer as well as younger leader programmes. In this vein, impacts confronted though, it is undeniably a promising matter.
Among the 20 elected general committee seats, father-and-son Lim Kiat Siang and Lim Guan Eng were once again elected with the highest votes respectively as ascribed. Karpal Singh came third. But veteran leader Tan Seng Giaw, Penang second deputy chief minister Prof. Dr. P. Ramasamy and Selangor state executive councillor Ronnie Liu were denied mandate.
The DAP is a huge political party in capacity. Honestly speaking, the 20 committee seats designate not for all the luminaries within.
Umno and MCA have similar mechanism which reserves 25 highest voted seats for both leading committee and general committee. I would highly recommend that DAP expand its force thus provide allowance for leaders from all the thirteen states and federal territories.
In yesterday’s re-election, eight denied running members were appointed to the general committee. There were two Malay delegates in this new power order. Indian representatives were not forgotten.
Teng Chang Khim the maverick was given the power to head the new Pakatan Rakyat Bureau. It is considered perfect in terms of election. Regrettably, there were no Malay delegates elected as general committee members. Umno will toy it as a controversy and it actually backfires Pakatan Rakyat’s devoted effort to gain Malay votes as can be foreseen.
Lim Guan Eng is to step down after the next election in accordance with the DAP regulations. Probably Lim Kiat Siang and Karpal Singh will make room for the younger delegates. Vote gains and re-election results show Loke Siew Fook is a potential successor. The crux of staying strong for any organisation is its “metabolism”. DAP obviously excels in this.
It is only fair to say that the DAP persists in the upholding of democracy. They have fought inexorably for the equality of people, social integrity, and economic fairness with their marked consistency over the years.
In the memories of the elderly, the DAP is a political party for the general public. The grassroots image of its leaders is expected as they were always ready to stand behind bars for the country’s controversial issues and the good for all and sundry. Inevitably, the DAP remains the strongest opposition party though it is outnumbered in members, weak in hierarchical structure and caught in trying period.
The nature of a party predicts its destiny. The DAP was formerly lauded as ‘the father of hawkers’ while the MCA was termed ‘the party of boss’. Nonetheless, the MCA is part of the dominant power. The MCA cannot stand abreast with the general public in many occasions; that includes the Clean Elections Campaign, Anti Lynas, Dong Jiao Zong’s Peaceful Assembly of Petition. All these alienate itself from the general public and make way for DAP to grab the upper hand politically.
The DAP has only a meagre 15,000 members, but it outshines the MCA, which has a 1,115,167 strong membership.
The nation’s train of development is advancing, the DAP should not remain a grassroots party but put transformation into practice. Lim Guan Eng once remarked that Pakatan Rakyat and the DAP had to aim for four million middle grounded voters if they wanted to earn the mandate to run the country.
To realise this, an influx of younger professional new bloods, consolidation of ruling theories, strategic economic plans are sought after. In other words, change of mindset and refinement in practice are the way to their continuous success.
The DAP supporters’ great expectation, I think, lies strongly in its quantum leap from grassroots party to a party for all the nation.
