Is DAP again rearing a tiger?

Malaysian Chinese News

DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang and former Prime Minister Mahathir ended their hostility to become friends again with the hope that together in the Pakatan team they could topple Prime Minister Najib’s government. Lim Kit Siang even strongly endorses his old enemy, saying that Mahathir is playing a more important role in Pakatan. As they get closer, it arouses concern of the Chinese community. Some were even upset, worrying that if Pakatan won the election and took over the central government, Mahathir would be made the transitional prime minister and Malaysia’s democratic spirit and system would be harmed one more time.

As memory is still fresh, during the 22 years when Mahathir was the UMNO president and prime minister, many unfair and discriminatory policies had been implemented. Nepotism and cronyism were raging. Mahathir had nurtured the crutch culture, making many Malays of the young generation to lose their spirit of self-reliance. They depend and rely on the government and need long-term government support to survive.

Because of this, from the time Mahathir became the prime minister to his stepping down, to Pak Lah and to Najib, many rural Malays who have been dependent on Barisan government for their livelihood lost their competitiveness. They have no choice but to continue supporting UMNO.

Mahathir has over supported the Malay community. In comparison, the status of the Chinese community has been plunging. Their economic interest has either been eroded or seized. Racial split and mutual suspicions started to worsen during Mahathir’s reign.

Even though Mahathir has retired, the crutch culture left behind by him has now been deeply entrenched. Local warlords are the beneficiaries and they are insatiable and continue to fight for the power and interest. Even when Mahathir has withdrawn from the mainstream politics, the Chinese are being marginalized continuously. The status of the Chinese community has been weakening. Many commerce and industrial leaders are just surviving. Some factories have been squeezed almost to the last breath.

And today Mahathir suddenly appears like a savior. He led Pribumi Bersatu in joining Pakatan and is also considering to be the transitional prime minister. The Chinese community naturally becomes uneasy. There are speculations that if Mahathir became the prime minister again and did not change his autocratic and bullying way, it would be the beginning of another nightmare for the Chinese. The Chinese community is worried that if Mahathir were to be in power again, it would bring no progress to the country and racial ties would only be worsened.

DAP has been white-washing PAS in the 308 and 505 elections, claiming that the implementation of hudud by PAS was aimed at creating a welfare state and not a theocratic state. The Chinese believed it and gave their support to PAS.

After the 2013 election, PAS insisted on enforcing hudud and theocratic rule. PAS president Hadi Awang personally tabled the RUU 355 private bill to expand the jurisdictions of the Syariah Courts. The non-Muslim communities were alarmed and tensed up. To ensure the smooth sailing of the bill, Hadi Awang befriended UMNO and flirted with UMNO leaders which resulted in his bill being successfully tabled in Dewan Rakyat.

Now DAP is co-operating with Pribumi Bersatu leader Mahathir. In order to topple Barisan and whack MCA and Gerakan, Lim Kit Siang and DAP work with Mahathir, ignoring that Mahathir had via his draconian policies oppressed Chinese education and marginalized the Chinese community. DAP regards Mahathir as the savior and sing praises of him. Lim Kit Siang is giving Mahathir a makeover and hopes the Chinese community would accept him and support Pakatan in the eventual toppling of the Barisan government.

Mahathir is ambitious. He is making a comeback not only to remove Najib but also to become the prime minister for a second time. If Lim Kit Siang finds support for Mahathir among the Chinese in the next election, would DAP be committing a second mistake if Mahathir succeeded in becoming the prime minister?

In the past, DAP has nurtured PAS and now it is empowering Pribumi. By enabling Mahathir to return to mainstream politics and call the shots, will the Chinese community be facing another round of disaster? This is a serious issue which the Chinese community should be concerned with!