DAP confident more Malays will join rank and file
V. Anbalagan, TMI
Selangor DAP is confident that more Malays will join its rank and file as the party has displayed solid work and “walk the talk” that it stood for good governance in the states where it was part of the government.
Malays form 60% of the population and have been a bedrock of support for Umno-led Barisan Nasional which has ruled Malaysia since Merdeka.
Newly elected state DAP deputy chairman Gobind Singh Deo (pic) said the party had in the past championed anti-corruption, waste and abuse of power to win public support.
“We have stressed that money saved can be used for the benefit of the rakyat and DAP, which is a member of Pakatan Rakyat, is a viable alternative to Barisan Nasional,” he said.
Gobind said DAP had always promoted good governance and it bore fruit after PR won Penang, Perak and Selangor in the 2008 general election.
“Over the last five years, Selangor and Penang having been practising good governance and this a point we want to sell to Malays now to join us for a better Malaysa,” he told The Malaysian Insider.
He said because it had walked the talk, PR increased its support in both Penang and Selangor.
The Puchong MP said attracting Malay support with the setting up of a branch would be one of the focal points of the new committee elected last week.
Outgoing state chairman Teresa Kok had said the party must win more Malay support to maintain PR’s hold on the richest state in the country and possibly take a second shot at capturing Putrajaya in 2018.
Gobind said many of the state seats it currently held consisted of at least 30% Malay voters and the number was expected to go up in the next five years.
“We have to reach out to the young urban Malays in order to maintain our 100% win in the 13th general election as there will be demographic changes.”
The second-term MP and son of DAP stalwart, Karpal Singh, said his own experience with the Malays, be it old or young in the state, showed they were supportive of the party’s struggle.
“This is especially so when the price of good and services is going up but BN leaders appear to be leading a lavish lifestyle,” he added.
