INTERVIEW | If negative perception of DAP was to be boiled down to one word, it would be "racist".
But for Marina Ibrahim, that's one stereotype that she's determined to prove wrong.
The 34-year-old was a community activist in Johor and when now-Kluang MP Wong Shu Qi approached her to join DAP in 2016, something clicked.
"People said DAP was a racist, chauvinist party and I felt if that was true, I should challenge myself.
"I will join the party and (use it as a platform) to organise cultural activities [...] introduce the various cultures to the different races," she told Malaysiakini during a recent interview.
Among the notable events she's helped organise and take part in was an interreligious dialogue event on fasting involving a Christian pastor, a Hindu priest, a Buddhist monk, and an ustaz.
She's also focussed on bringing together children of various races through activities such as learning to make mooncakes and cross-cultural calligraphy - including Jawi.
Nevertheless, her views on the need for Malaysians to unite have coloured her perspective of DAP amidst a party election that some view as a battle of those who want DAP to be more inclusive versus the so-called Chinese chauvinist faction.
"We need to have an open heart and accept one another and we need a goal, that our purpose is for DAP to win (the seats they contest) in the next general election.
"If DAP can be brave enough to select more candidate of the various races, it will not only benefit the party [...] people will also be more confident that DAP is not just a Chinese party as is being touted by others," she said.
During the interview, Marina admitted that some Malays have negative views of DAP and that she had faced some resistance from Malay communities during her tenure as a Kulai municipal councillor when Pakatan Harapan was in federal power.
But she's optimistic that attitudes are changing.
Marina first entered the spotlight when she made an unsuccessful bid for the Johor DAP Youth chief position against Paloh assemblyperson Sheikh Omar Ali in 2019.
She currently serves as Johor DAP Wanita's publicity secretary.
Below are excerpts from the interview which have been edited for flow and brevity:
Malaysiakini: What attracted you to join DAP compared to other parties like PKR or Amanah?
Marina: I was actually raised on an estate by my grandmother, at the time my mother was a single mom. During that time with my grandmother, I saw that Indians, Chinese and Malays could mingle freely with one another.
When we moved to the village where everyone lived separately, I saw that those who used to mingle were now separated and they started to have racial sentiments, suspicions.
In secondary school, it was the same. During school time, friends could be friends with non-Malays but after that I see them making comments as though they had never interacted with the other races.
I felt that I needed to do something to bring together or unify the various races in Malaysia. So that's why I felt that DAP was the right choice for me.
What's your experience of being a Malay DAP member?
It's not like how people say it is. At one time, I was one of the only Malays in my branch but all the Chinese leaders pushed me to the front.
They told me, 'Marina, maybe you can do something for our party'. After which I undertook activities that involved other religions, cross-cultural forums and such.
No matter what idea I give, we can discuss and accept it. I've never felt that my views were sidelined.
What do you say to critics who claim that when DAP fields Malay or Indian candidates, these are token representations and not reflective of DAP's true policies which prioritise the Chinese in DAP?
That's not true. For example, before this people said DAP had evil intent in fielding Malay candidates, that they wanted to win over more Malays so they fielded a Malay candidate to make the party look Malay but inside the party, it is all Chinese. That's not true.
The truth is that DAP leaders, even those who are Chinese, have an open mind in accepting Malays and don't have a "Chinese" mindset.
Sometimes people ask me, 'Marina is it true if Malays join DAP its easy to go up the ranks?' I've never gone up the ranks that easily, there are many Malays in DAP.
Maybe they only see me, Young Syefura Othman or Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud and such but there are many more in the background.
What the leaders look at is the work being undertaken by the Malay members that can push the party's efforts forward.
For me, the party fielding Malay candidates is not just to get votes or just to get a Malay representative.
What about the perception that Malays in DAP are liberals or extreme?
People can say what they want, but the proof is in our actions.
For example, when I was a local councillor in Kulai, I challenged myself to be placed in a Malay zone, these are mostly Umno areas that DAP did not win over.
The first time I did an event, I wasn't accepted, because people were like 'Oh, Marina is DAP', so the event would only be attended by the 10 to 15 committee members from my zone.
But I didn't give up. We will educate the people with information, we don't get angry or insult people and sooner or later, the people will see (our intentions).
I'm still active in my area. Sometimes the makcik or pakcik will text me saying 'Marina we haven't seen you for a while, are you upset, when are you coming over?' That's quite touching.
Now, if I do an event, about 200 people will come. Even though I'm no longer a local councillor, the people accept me with an open heart. - Mkini
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