Is DAP deadline punchline to bad joke?

 

“If perception cannot be changed, then after six months we must make a decisive decision, but that decision does not mean we intend to let the government fall - absolutely not.”

– DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke

As reported in the press, Anthony Loke, the big cheese of DAP, said last December after the shellacking the party received in the Sabah state polls that, “If Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim fails to deliver meaningful reforms within the next six months, DAP will reassess its role in the government.”

Mind you, he was quick to add, “After six months, whatever decision we make, we’ve already informed the prime minister that we will not withdraw our support for him, at least until the next general election.”

Jelutong MP RSN Rayer believes that people are getting impatient with Madani’s slow pace of reforms.

Funny, because this is the same MP who said, "Prime minister, I observe that the measures rolled out to reform governance and administration are actively being implemented by the government today.

"At the same time, the global recognition received by the prime minister is on par with figures like Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela.”

Jelutong MP RSN Rayer

At this point, there is a litany of dismal peaks that rational Malaysians can point to where DAP has not served the rakyat when it comes to accountability, the promotion of democratic values, and, of course, lessening the impact of theocratic imperatives in mainstream Malaysian politics.

Rayer lays the blame on the prime minister but fails to mention that DAP has been an obedient handmaiden to the excesses of this government.

I have no idea why Rayer would list these issues and act as if DAP had no power or influence over how they were handled or not handled. Sure, a few DAP MPs have been speaking out, but DAP is the government, hence, speaking out merely seems performative.

Rayer blames the “deep state,” which is complete horse manure because, as the Football Association of Malaysia/International Federation of Association Football scandal demonstrated, there is very little daylight between the so-called deep state and mainstream ketuanan (supremacy) governance and, of course, who was the youth and sports minister then?

Powerless DAP?

So, either DAP has no power in Madani, or the party is completely inept and oblivious to the legal and moral failings of this unity government. Which is not to say that DAP does not look out for the interests of the rakyat in messy Madani.

DAP lawmaker Teresa Kok was chastised by the prime minister over her comments on halal certification, even though her comments were, in fact, taking into account the hardship faced by small Malay businesses and the economic effects mandatory halal certification would have on them.

So, even when DAP voices out concern, which would help the Malay community, it is demonised, and more often than not, the head of Madani would side with the far-right ethnocentric agitators who really do nothing for the Malay community.

The big July meeting is approaching, and what is DAP going to do? The deadline was already kind of a joke because if you announce ahead that you are not willing to let Madani fall, then you are telling everyone that there is nothing serious about this deadline.

DAP, through its minions online, always harasses and attempts to deflect from its failings. DAP asks if not a unity government, who else? Would you rather see Perikatan Nasional take over?

Ok, hold it right there, you disingenuous cretins. DAP has worked with every race-based party that has come into existence, so do not for one minute think this card plays with rational people.

Look at Umno. A party in a weaker position, which is running roughshod over DAP while the prime minister does nothing to help his loyal reformasi ally, not to mention Umno’s brazen moves in Johor, which should tell rational Malaysians what Umno thinks of Madani.

And let us not forget this manufactured pig farming controversy. Selangor BN information chief Jamal Yunos said DAP representative Wong Siew Ki “can leave Selangor if she does not want to abide by the decree of his royal highness”, even though his party has historically curtailed the powers of the royalty.

The Umno rejects, or those ejected from the party, had also openly defied the royalty. Former Umno bigwig, now Bersatu president, publicly said, “No matter what the purpose is, we will not agree to it. So when I was asked to sign the offer letter, I signed ‘disagreed’.”

DAP demonised

DAP representatives have been vilified. DAP representatives and ministers had police reports made against them. DAP representatives had their cars firebombed.

DAP representatives have been reprimanded by the prime minister of their coalition and forced to make retractions and apologies.

At this point, if DAP said, “We are not going to leave Anwar hanging, but we are going to relinquish all posts at the state and federal level and leave it to people who defend race and religion to lead this country,” I would be okay with that.

Why? Because it affords a shred of dignity in how non-Malays view this fiasco, which is Madani. And if Madani were to carry out reforms genuinely, it would have the electoral power of DAP backing its political plays.

This is what these Malay uber alles politicians want, right? They want to demonise DAP or have the party kowtow to them, so do not play their game.

And maybe the rakyat would understand what happens if a PN-like government takes over. We saw how that went when Muhyiddin Yassin and Ismail Sabri Yaakob were in charge.

I keep watching that old Karpal Singh clip during the Perak crisis back in the day, where he said, “Anwar has created enough trouble for the country. Anwar must repent,” and “PKR and DAP have fallen to the temptation and even followed Anwar’s rhetoric in supporting crossovers, and some have not said a word when they ought to have all this while.”

History really is prologue. - Mkini

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S THAYAPARAN is commander (Rtd) of the Royal Malaysian Navy. Fīat jūstitia ruat cælum - “Let justice be done though the heavens fall.”

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.