DAP members are Malaysians first, with race coming second, says Guan Eng

 

Lim Guan Eng said DAP has elected representatives from all ethnic groups, including Sabah and Sarawak.

PETALING JAYA: DAP members will always identify themselves as Malaysians first and never according to their ethnicity, said party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.

He said the party will fight to reject any leader who wants to deviate from its multiracial and multi-religious framework so as to keep DAP Malaysian.

“DAP is not a Chinese party, an Indian party or a Malay party. We are a Malaysian party for all, with elected representatives from all ethnic groups, including Sabah and Sarawak.

“Unlike Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who infamously declared that he is ‘Malay First, Malaysian Second’, DAP will never give up on our ideals of nation-building, established on racial fraternity, religious harmony, equal opportunity and socio-economic justice, among others,” he said at the opening of the Melaka DAP Convention today.

The Bagan MP was alluding to the recent controversy that saw Selangor DAP leader and Pandamaran assemblyman Ronnie Liu stating that DAP did not need to “dilute its Chinese-ness” because of criticisms from political enemies, a remark which many leaders described as being narrow-minded and reflecting a toxic mentality.

The former finance minister said the DAP’s struggle had always been focused on the rakyat, based on fundamental principles and policies beneficial to the country. It was never obsessed with seeking positions of power and government posts.

“That is the reason why not a single one of our 42 DAPs defected and betrayed the mandate given by the rakyat in the 2018 general election.

“Despite being the largest party in Parliament, DAP was never greedy and never sought plum positions like prime minister or deputy prime minister.”

Lim said if DAP were to take a racial approach and call itself a Chinese or an Indian party, it would be no different from PAS which he said is extreme, adding the Central Executive Committee had made a stand that it will never allow it to become an extremist party.

“PAS covers up its incompetence and poor governance by relying on racism and religious extremism.

“Unlike the era of its moderate leader, the late Tok Guru Nik Aziz, non-Muslims will be discriminated and marginalised as long as PAS under Abdul Hadi Awang is in government.”

He cited the example of PAS openly saying its aim of wanting to secure a two-third majority in the next general election, which is intended to gerrymander constituencies to benefit Muslims and Malays.

“This is effectively an electoral religious and racial apartheid that is clearly unconstitutional. And yet no non-Muslim or non-Malay ministers dared to raise objections in Cabinet. The subservience of MCA, MIC and GPS to PAS is pathetic,” he added.

On state party elections, Lim said the Melaka and Kedah chapters did not need to have elections as only 15 candidates were nominated for the 15 state committee posts. - FMT