Can the DAP recover?

 

By Lim Teck Ghee

A key reason for the loss in popular support for the DAP is due to its position in a stuttering fragile coalition which underperformed on many fronts. But much of the damage has been self-inflicted.

Wrongly reading the political mood of the country or perhaps hoping to divert public opinion from its lacklustre post-election performance, the incessant targeting of former prime minister Najib Razak and the endless playing of the “kleptocracy” record has become a disaster.

No party will be able to hold on to power for any length of time simply by pointing out the sins and misdeeds of the opposition and repeating the same refrain ad infinitum.

It is what the party itself does in the way of fulfilling election promises and meeting the expectations of the electorate through improvements in the major areas of public concern that can provide the winning edge in the coming election.

In meeting expectations, the DAP should not have to surrender its centre left credentials or move away from an ideology embracing social democracy, liberalism, democratic socialism, localism and green politics.

Other countries, including some Islamic nations, are finding that repulsing the right-wing and conservative forces and coping with the new challenges of rapid socio-economic and environmental change and disruption requires not a change in political direction but the breathing in of renewed idealism and new leadership into the moderate position promoting social justice and equality.

This is the optimistic scenario for Malaysia.

However, for the foreseeable future, the DAP should expect that racial and religious politics in the country will not lessen; rather their advocates will grow louder and will continue to focus on the party as the enemy to take down as they have done during the past.

What may be the difference in GE15

To counter this, the party needs to not just think out of the box in empowering its non-Chinese leadership and allies in East Malaysia but ensuring a more multi-racial composition of young idealistic candidates for the next election. So long as the majority electorate sees it as a Chinese-led party, it will remain handicapped in the electoral battle regardless of the agenda it is promoting. Action is needed, not more and more thinking and talking.

This move – more than any other factor – can also make the difference in helping the party counter the emphasis on racial and religious issues that can be expected from the latest Bersatu-Umno-PAS “ummah” unification.

The DAP should also expect that wherever and whenever it is in power, every policy and project initiative it undertakes will be scrutinised to see if it lives fully by the competency, accountability and transparency (CAT) principles it has sworn by to ensure good and incorruptible governance.

With billions of ringgit of project funding now under its direct control in Penang and other states where Pakatan Harapan holds power, some critics have expressed concern that the DAP is now the new “towkay” party following the footsteps of the MCA which had focused on enriching its leadership and supporters.

The dispensation of patronage and embrace of crony capitalism has been an integral part of Malaysian political life. Keeping itself and its coalition partners on the straight and narrow in managing the governance and financial affairs of the country may well also make a difference to our more demanding electorate that does not want a return of the abusive, corrupt and self-enrichment ways of the old regime.

The political marathon still ahead

It is clear that Lim Kit Siang has at least one more lap to go in his lifelong political marathon. This is to see the DAP through the latest period of political turmoil for the party in which the capture of state power in Penang has paradoxically brought with it new dangers of survival which cannot be blamed entirely on BN’s machinations.

He has also to attract more Malays and non-Chinese into the party and help them advance in the party’s leadership ranks so that the DAP is in all senses a truly Malaysian Malaysia party. And lastly, he, together with the other opposition leaders, have to keep PH intact and cohesive in the coming years so that the country can survive a more dangerous future – a future that shows little sign of a let up in the racially and religiously divisive and authoritarian politics and policies of the present ruling coalition. - FMT

Lim Teck Ghee is a public policy analyst.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.