‘DAP no more people’s party’
The DAP is not the people-orientated party that Malaysians once knew, chides party man Lee Guan Aik
Athi Shankar, FMT
Since achieving unprecedented electoral success and assuming state powers in the 2008 general election, the party is now ridden with nepotism, cronyism and the power crazed, alleged Kedah DAP chairman Lee Guan Aik.
He said that currently the party only served political interests of certain dynastic leaders and their cronies.
“Certain top leaders are not interested, or do not even bother to listen and act on grassroots sentiments and grouses,” Lee told FMT in an interview at his office, here.
He felt that DAP was now under a dynastic dictatorship aimed to remain in power forever. And the party had swayed from its original socialist ideals.
“Leaders today are ungrateful to grassroots leaders and members, especially those who had sacrificed so much for the party.
“Long serving leaders and members have been sidelined to make way for newcomers.
“Cronyism and nepotism is evidently prevailing and the leaders now tend to create and speak lies as if they are always right,” he added.
Lee cited his own case as a “remarkable” example of how undemocratic DAP had become.
Formerly the Kota Darulaman assemblyman, Lee, 62, was dropped as a candidate in the last general election held on May 5, 2013.
Then on May 27, 2013, the party’s central executive committee (CEC) informed Lee by email of his removal as the Kedah DAP chairman. Lee had been elected chairman in the state party polls in 2010.
The email stated that the CEC had appointed Bukit Bendera MP Zairil Khir Johari as interim chairman pending the state party polls.
“I was removed without any valid reason neither was I called to face any inquiry. I was removed in an undemocratic way,” said Lee.
A few days later, CEC member Thomas Su briefed Lee and his elected committee members in Alor Star, advising them that they had been replaced with an interim committee to stop Lee and his supporters from winning again at the state party polls due in Aug and Sept 2013.
To date the Kedah state party polls has still not taken place.
Used as pawn
“I have audio recording of what Thomas Su told us. My committee and I were removed because certain dynastic leaders did not want us to continue to lead Kedah DAP. Everything was preplanned before the general election.”
“Is this democracy? It’s disgraceful,” rebuked Lee.
