Good to have more diversity in DAP’s top leadership, admits Syahredzan

 

Syahredzan Johan says DAP is just as multiracial as PKR but could be more so.

PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Harapan’s candidate for Bangi, Syahredzan Johan said a greater diversity in DAP’s top leadership would be desirable.

In an interview with FMT, Syahredzan pointed out that there was already diversity in the central executive committee (CEC), but it “can always be more diverse”.

“If you are looking at race, yes there may be more Chinese but within the committee itself there are people from different places, people from different age groups, representing different communities.

“(It) can always be more diverse, of course, (but) I’m not saying there is no diversity in the CEC,” he said.

He was asked how DAP could truly call itself a multiracial party when, for instance, only 10% of those in its highest decision-making body were Malay.

Besides Syahredzan, former Raub MP Tengku Zulpuri Shah Raja Puji, former Ketari assemblyman Young Syefura Othman and Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali are in the 40-member CEC.

The CEC for the current term also comprises 29 Chinese, 6 Indians and 1 Kadazan.

Syahredzan said the fact that the CEC had four Malay members represented progress and was testament to it being a multiracial party.

“We have to remember that it’s a gradual process. In order for you to nurture new leaders, you need to put them through the baptism of fire, that includes Malay candidates,” he said.

He said the notion that DAP was a Chinese-centric party actually came from its opponents.

“It’s just that, maybe, over the past few decades or so, people see us as a Chinese party and this association is actually framed by our opponents. So we are being defined by our opponents who say that we are this Chinese party and so on and so forth,” he said.

He said in comparison, PKR had many Malay members and even more Indian members but was still considered a multiracial party.

“Anyone can join, and it’s the same with us. So I don’t understand what we need to look at in order to be defined as a multiracial party.

“Is there a quota where you need to have a certain percentage to be seen or accepted as a multiracial party? What is that quota and who decides it?” he asked.

He stressed that in DAP, a person’s racial and religious background didn’t matter.

“If you’re good, you’ll be recognised and you’ll be given opportunities.” - FMT