Do comic book supporters want DAP to be kicked out?

I have been a DAP supporter since 2008. I was elated when Barisan Nasional fell last year and the DAP managed to form the government at the federal level with its Pakatan Harapan partners, and also in several states.

I have always seen the DAP as a party for all Malaysians. To me, the party is staunchly against racism and upholds the principles of equality and justice for all.

Yet, recent developments have made me fear for the future of the party.

I believe that there are those in the party who want to see the DAP removed from the government.

It is perplexing to see 43 “grassroots leaders” of DAP defending the “Belt and Road Initiative for Win and Winism” comic book, produced by former party member Hew Kuan Yau.

The 43, which included several assemblypersons, claimed that Education Minister Maszlee Malek is “dancing to the tune of Datuk Seri Najib Razak” by banning the comic book from schools.

I wonder whether the 43 have actually read the comic book which they are defending. If they had read, they would have realised that the comic is nothing more than propaganda for the People’s Republic of China. Why are the 43 defending Chinese propaganda, especially those distributed to schools?

The comic book even contains a page that claims that Malays are radicals for sympathising with the plight of China’s Uyghurs. Why are the 43 grassroots leaders defending such racist caricatures of the Malays?

DAP has enjoyed an upsurge of support over the past decade or so. People see the DAP as a party for the future, even though it is Chinese-dominated.

It is because of the image of anti-racism and multiculturalism that the DAP, along with Pakatan Harapan, has managed to claim victory in past general elections.

But it is clear that there is a faction in DAP which wants to see the DAP kicked out of the government. The defence of the comic book is the latest proof of these provocateurs within the party who want to achieve these goals.

They are clearly trying to sabotage the party and to disrupt efforts to build a new Malaysia. They should know that if DAP is kicked out of the government, Umno will be back in power, and everything that Malaysians have worked hard for will be for nothing.

Are they so naive to think that change is better achieved by being outside of the government? That the DAP will be more effective outside of the government?

I do not believe that they are that foolish. I believe that what they are doing is calculated to strengthen their positions in the party, in order to oust the moderate leaders from the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC).

Thus, their act of sabotage is ultimately a self-serving one for their own narrow interests.

It is not surprising to see most of these provocative statements are either initiated or supported by certain assemblymen in Pahang, the state where the DAP is not in the government.

To these assemblymen, there is no great loss since they are not part of any government anyway.

The party leadership cannot remain quiet. They must discipline these so-called leaders, who are working against the interests of the party.

They cannot allow these saboteurs to undermine the leadership and tar the image of the party among the public.

Adam Tan is an FMT reader.