Hannah Yeoh annoyed with Ronnie Liu - why? did Ronnie 'spook the Malays'?

MM Online:

‘I can’t stay silent’: Hannah Yeoh slams Ronnie Liu over toxic remarks on Chinese dilution in DAP

Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh speaks during the launch of the C4 Centre Report in Petaling Jaya April 12, 2021. — Picture by Miera Zulyana

KUALA LUMPUR, 12 April — DAP MP Hannah Yeoh has slammed her party’s central committee member Ronnie Liu for the latter’s racial remarks that she said painted DAP in a bad light.

The Segambut MP said that Liu’s views that DAP should not position itself as “non-Chinese”, contradicted with his concurrent statement that it is a party for all Malaysians.

“For me, I have stopped listening to Ronnie a long time ago. But this time I cannot stay silent because he has done a great disservice to many of us DAP leaders out there who are working hard to fight off prejudices and stigmas against the DAP.

“Ronnie Liu does not represent me. The DAP that Ronnie wants is not the DAP I joined,” she said.

Yeoh lamented that Liu had also caused inconvenience for government leaders when Pakatan Harapan was still in power, by having a “constant countdown” on Facebook for when former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad would hand over power to PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“Everyone including Tun M, Anwar, Ronnie (and myself included) must shoulder some blame in the collapse of the PH government.

“Responsible leadership requires us to examine ourselves. For Ronnie, Tun M can do no right. For Ronnie, Anwar can do no wrong,” she said.

Earlier today, Malaysiakini reported that DAP is facing an internal fight ahead of its national congress and the central executive committee election in June.

This included Sungai Pelek assemblyman Liu, who reportedly said the party should not belittle or degrade itself just to gain Malay support.

“DAP is a multi-racial party. The party need not dilute its Chineseness just because of the criticism from our political enemies.

“We have to safeguard the culture of the party, as well as the party’s constitutional spirit, pluralistic and democratic political struggle,” Liu was quoted saying in a speech during the launch of DAP veteran Liew Ah Kim’s book in Klang yesterday.

“DAP is for all Malaysians. We need to cooperate with other Malay parties, but we shouldn’t degrade or portray ourselves as a non-Chinese party.

“You would not get Malay support by these approaches,” he was quoted adding.

DAP, formerly a spin-off of Singapore’s ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) was formed in October 1965 by mostly former Malaysian PAP members, when Singapore left Malaysia to become a sovereign nation.

The PAP had campaigned against Bumiputera privileges afforded to the latter in the Malaysian general election, and the DAP continued this trend in the 1960s.

This, coupled with the fact that DAP has historically had a majority of Chinese leaders has left the party with a reputation of being pro-Chinese, and sometimes, anti-Malay.

The party has, however, made concerted efforts in recent years to put on a more multi-ethnic face and has bolstered its ranks with more Malay leaders and members as well as younger moderates, especially since the 13th general election.

This, seemingly has rattled those in the party who seek to use DAP as a platform for Chinese language, education and business interests.

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kt notes:

Hannah would be one of those that Commander (rtd) Thayaparan (Malaysiakini columnist) said are afraid to 'spook the Malays'.

Alas, Hannah has put unfair twist on Ronnie Liu's statement which was “DAP is a multi-racial party. The party need not dilute its Chineseness just because of the criticism from our political enemies.

“We have to safeguard the culture of the party, as well as the party’s constitutional spirit, pluralistic and democratic political struggle.”

In other words, Ronnie urged the party not to bend down like one particular minister to provide free eff-ings just to win Malays over to the DAP's banner. He stressed that DAP is a multiracial party but WTF can the party do if 80% of its members are Chinese with about 15% being Indians and the rest Malays and Eurasians.

There has been a historical reason for the DAP's ethnic composition. DAP has been mainly Chinese because their members have been the marginalised, who feel socio-econo-politically disadvantaged and therefore would naturally flock to the Rocket flag. That's a fact of political life in Malaysia, so why should the DAP pretend it does not have tons of Chinese members as what Hannah 'Ms Don't spook the Malays' wants.

Look at DAP politicians like KHAT Siang, Nie Ching and Guan Eng - when they were in opposition they were vociferous, even ferocious like once-Tigress Nie Ching who declared the DAP was going to annihilate the MCA and Gerakan in GE14 - well she was right, the DAP did, but thereafter once in government, what did the DAP under the Lim Snr & Jnr do?

podah Nie Ching, tai sang sai sang, but when a deputy minister, moe sang

Kuai-kuai like mice. Nie Ching suddenly kept silent on UEC, did not dare open her mouth on jawi (khat), which BTW KHAT Sial defended valiantly. Imagine if KHAT had then been in opposition, and his son was not FM, what noises would he have made about jawi (khat)?

jawi (khat) vellee good loh, vellee useful

Apek mudah lupa his principles and integrity about his promise to resign from politics if Mahtahir failed to hand over the PM post to Anwar

Tiu lei DAP, jee kar moi sang ah?

😂😂😂

And what about those Mahathir's sins and scandals KHAT raved and ranted about for nearly 50 years? Yeah man, all quiet on the Western Front lah! And Hannah has the bloody nerve to still defend the Old Devil - yeah, "Mahathir ... must shoulder some blame in the collapse of the PH government" my bloody foot.

Don't spook the Malays - Hannah wants to continue that, whilst Ronnie says "cease & desist from our hypocrisy - DAP is largely made up of Chinese members because of our political history, where marginalised Chinese and Indians flock to our party for hope, leadership and noise-making in exactly the same way as Malays flock to UMNO for benefits and social security".

And that has been why MCA lost drastically by remaining quiet which the DAP swiftly emulated once in government. Podah Hannah.

Let's face it, if KHAT and gang were not the noisy whining opposition leader, would the Indians and Chinese flock to DAP for hope, leadership especially in voicing out loud their frustrations? But now Hannah says, "Don't spook the Malays", only raising her voice at poor Ronnie Liu.

Besides, Ronnie reminded every member of the DAP, the DAP has won BIG in 2018 PRECISELY because 95% of Chinese voters supported the party - thus, should the DAP now ignore its Chineseness (and TAR_UC)? Don't be an exploitative hypocrite lah, that's what Ronnie has spelt out.

Related:

Ronnie Liu: DAP shouldn't belittle or degrade itself just to gain Malay support