Rightists remind 60-year-old DAP “Malaysia is still Tanah Melayu, not Tanah Cina or Tanah India”

 

AS DAP kicked off its 60th anniversary celebrations yesterday (March 18), detractors are dampening jubilant mood of the Madani government ally who boasts the most number of seats at 40 by being offended at its slogan/theme “Malaysia untuk Rakyat Malaysia” a.k.a. Malaysia for Malaysians.

Amid the state of affairs emanating from the KK Super Mart sock-gate episode to flying upside down Jalur Germilang to defending vernacular schools and the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), it is not surprising that rightists are finding fault with the theme which emphasises equality and national identity across racial lines.

“Since its official founding on 18 March 1966, DAP has journeyed through six decades, standing with the people through every challenge and triumph,” the party espoused on the spirit if its 60th anniversary celebration a.k.a. DAP60.

Looking back, we rose to defend and save the nation; today, we remain steadfast in re-building Malaysia, upholding the rights and welfare of all, regardless of race or religion.

As a member of the Unity Government, we stand shoulder to shoulder with Pakatan Harapan (PH), committed to advancing institutional reforms, upholding integrity and championing a progressive, multi-racial society towards a united, prosperous and inclusive Malaysia for all.

A glimpse at the Malay language MalaysiaGazette Facebook page which described the slogan as “seen to be able to revive the old spirit of the party’s struggle”, rightists generally mocked DAP that its struggle for equality and inclusivity is merely a hidden agenda to wipe out rightful Bumiputera privileges.

“As far as I know, this is not Tanah Cina (Mainland China) or Tanah India. But Tanah Melayu. Tanah Melayu is meant for the Malays,” jibed a commenter.

Another warned of DAP having many “Malay stooges to uplift the party while Malay parties themselves have been split to three or four” while a fellow rightist stressed the need not to get conned given “with Malay faces or otherwise, DAP is still adamant to upkeep its ideology”.

With many rightists being opposition-slant, little wonder is the call to “repeat the 8-0 bashing of DAP in the recent Sabah state polls” come the 16th General Election (GE16) which must be held by or before by Feb 17, 2028.

Likewise, the call “to bury DAP alongside the PH-UMNO alliance” reverberated in a Malaysiakini BM post on the DAP60 subject.

DAP was mocked as a “pest/toxic party” to “communist” to being “a racist party that jeopardises the country’s racial unity”.

At the end of the day, it makes one wonder how simplistic, narrow-minded or even venomous the rightists are to assess DAP as being “a chauvinistic party that has for the past 60 years been defending criminals, crooks and land encroachers”, hence “bring ruin to Tamah Melayu”. 

- focus malaysia