DAP’s Cabinet sacrifice worries some, but Guan Eng says it’s wise

 

DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng says party leaders will have to go to the ground to make members understand the sacrifice it is making. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: The concessions DAP made for the Cabinet appointments may be seen as magnanimous by the party but some of its leaders have voiced their worries of a possible backlash in the state elections next year.

According to DAP insiders, some supporters are questioning whether the party has given in too much with its nation-before-party stand to ensure that Anwar Ibrahim become and remain as the prime minister.

One insider said a good number of members and supporters agreed with the decision to accept what Anwar has given by way of Cabinet posts so that PAS and Bersatu will not sneak in to lead the government, but he added that detractors were saying the party would be attacked as being reduced to an MCA 2.0.

“They say why vote for DAP if it cannot be their voice in government,” he said. “Party secretary-general Loke Siew Fook says they have to do it for the sake of the nation to stop it from being taken over by extremists, but this could be the start of a defanging of the party.

“A weaker DAP will be easier for Anwar to handle, raising fears the Pakatan Harapan chairman could be using this opportunity to sideline the party.”

Another source said DAP supporters might accept it for now to prevent Anwar’s failure but were wondering how long this would go on.

“People are saying this goes against the party’s stand on kleptocrats and on institutional reforms such as the prime minister not holding the finance portfolio. And DAP has also been silenced.”

Another source questioned Anwar’s claim that nominations for the Cabinet were by individual parties based on party hierarchy, noting that this was not followed in the case of DAP.

“Why single out DAP to be marginalised?”

DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng told FMT he was not surprised that some members and supporters were making this an issue, especially since PKR has eight ministers despite having only 31 MPs compared to DAP’s four although it has 40 MPs.

He said party leaders would have to go to the ground to make members understand that the sacrifice was vital for nation-building and national reconciliation after the most divisive election ever, pitting extremist forces against moderates and minorities.

He also said DAP was hoping that its sacrifice for the sake of policy reforms would give Anwar every opportunity to deliver on PH’s promises to make for a united and better Malaysia.

“We are in the grip of an unprecedented use of race and religion to attack the unity government and Anwar,” Lim said. “We have to help him succeed in fighting the forces of extremism and bring about a united Malaysia that is politically stable.

“If he does succeed, we will go down in history as the first to make concessions in exchange for making positive reform outcomes possible.”

He said Anwar was well aware of the party’s sacrifices over more than two decades to make sure he would be prime minister one day.

He spoke of the sacrifice as being unprecedented in Malaysia’s political history, saying it showed the party was true to its talk of putting nation above self.

“This is DAP’s defining moment for its members and supporters to impart the spirit of service whereby you may not do right by me, but I shall do right by the nation,” he said.

“All Malaysians must help Anwar defeat the extremist forces so that justice can be given to all and minorities will not be displaced or discriminated against or be blamed for everything that goes wrong.”

He said all Malaysians should do what they can to help Anwar succeed in saving the “soul of the nation” as envisioned in the Federal Constitution. - FMT