DAP extremists and moderates

 

Dr Mahathir Mohamad lampooned Sungai Pelek assemblyperson Ronnie Liu as an extremist (together with P Ramasamy), and Lim Guan Eng and Lim Kit Siang as moderates. 

The ruckus was started by Liu calling on DAP to retain its “Chineseness”, as its character and identity need to reflect the majority of the members of the party. 

As a former member, I think this name-calling by the former premier and labelling some party members as extremists and others moderates as unhelpful and divisive. It is also not accurate.

I joined DAP to see if they were extremists and chauvinists and found that they are no different from Malays who joined Malay-based or Islamic parties.

Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim joins DAP in 2017

Some of my former colleagues in Umno, and other Malay based parties, were passionate when defending Malay rights and privileges, and they too appeared, on occasions, to fit the label “extremists” to those looking from the outside. 

One could say that the PAS president, who insisted that only Muslims should be leaders of the country, an extremist.

In a country still grappling with itself, divided by schisms of race, religion and class, and failing in its search for its national identity, it is not surprising that certain communal leaders expressed themselves in language which is not normally associated with what we call “moderate” or reflecting mainstream identity. 

They are not sure what that mainstream or moderate identity is. They may want to push forward their community’s interests, and in doing so, they sound very extreme. 

Sungai Pelek assemblyperson Ronnie Liu

This is our failing in nation-building; to make every citizen embrace a unifying theme of what constitutes this single national identity. We have no national characteristics to articulate, to be proud of, and no political underpinnings to serve as a foundation so we can together bind and cement our sense of nationhood.

So perhaps let us judge our leaders and politicians on what they do and not what they say. Let us not be quick to label one another, as such labelling exacerbate our division and bring disunity. 

As for Liu, he won his seat of Sungai Pelek, which is a Malay majority area with only 29 percent Chinese voters. If he is indeed a chauvinist and an extremist, he would be a dead duck during the election. 

He is controversial, that’s for sure, and he does not always express himself in an agreeable tone; but having known him, I think he will continue to serve his constituency well, whatever label he carries.

As for DAP, they too have to be sure of themselves. There is no need to go to extra length to "differentiate themselves", say from other major parties, especially Umno. 

They have different political and economic ideas, but that does not mean they need to “look down” on those whose political message is perceived to be different. 

We are all searching for a unifying factor to get the country moving forward, and so the less we look at our differences, the better. 

Instead, let us look at how the mutual strength of the parties can build this country. We have no choice but to learn to work together. 

Collaboration need not always be in the ideal form, but what is workable is good enough. Our country is in an impossible situation right now, which collectively we must set right. - Mkini

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ZAID IBRAHIM is a former law minister.

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