DAP And The Umno Running Dog Syndrome

 

That is the dilemma both DAP and Umno are facing, which is what is making an Umno-DAP alliance a problem. The Malays must see Umno to be in charge while the Chinese must see DAP to be in charge. The question is, who is going to be top-boy and who will be bottom-boy in this relationship?

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

DAP knows it cannot form an alliance or a coalition government with Umno without paying a price. No doubt there are two or three DAP leaders who are very close to Umno, but the majority of the DAP leaders know that an alliance with Umno is out of the question.

MCA’s fall from grace was because they were (or are) perceived as an Umno running dog. In fact, this was DAP’s main election campaign strategy — to turn the Chinese against MCA by portraying them as an Umno running dog. And it worked.

Back in the 1980s, when Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was the prime minister, MCA had asked for the Deputy Prime Minister 2 post. Deputy Prime Minister 1 can be from Umno while the post of Deputy Prime Minister 2 should be from MCA, meaning a Chinese DPM2.

The Federal Constitution of Malaysia is silent on the post of DPM. So the PM does need not any DPM (Malaysia just needs the PM and his Cabinet) or there can be three or five DPMs. Furthermore, the race, religion and gender of the DPM (and PM) are not stipulated in the Constitution. Hence it can be an Indian woman who is Hindu DPM (or PM).

MCA knew the only way they could tone down the Umno running dog rhetoric was to hold the post of DPM2. But Mahathir rejected MCA’s request and they eventually paid for it at the ballot box.

The only way Umno will work with DAP would for the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister to come from Umno (plus the post of Finance Minister, Home Minister, Education Minister and Defence Minister as well). Maybe Deputy Prime Minister 2 can come from Pakatan Harapan.

But that would mean DAP would now be seen as Umno’s running dog. And that would also mean DAP would suffer the same fate as MCA.

That is the dilemma DAP is facing. DAP cannot be seen as Umno’s running dog. But then Umno would want the posts of Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Finance Minister, Home Minister, Education Minister, Defence Minister, etc. And that would mean DAP would have to play second-fiddle to Umno.

That is the dilemma both DAP and Umno are facing, which is what is making an Umno-DAP alliance a problem. The Malays must see Umno to be in charge while the Chinese must see DAP to be in charge. The question is, who is going to be top-boy and who will be bottom-boy in this relationship?