DAP's Ubah or Ubah DAP?

Do you recognize this man?

He is Tan Seng Giaw.

Just in case you don't know or can't recognize him, I'll leave it to Wikipedia (plus a wee add-ons and where relevant, corrections by me) to provide a glimpse of who he is:

Tan Seng Giaw (Chinese : 陈胜尧) is a Malaysian politician from the Democratic Action Party. He was born on 26 May 1942 in Kota Baru, Kelantan. After attending Primary and High School in Kelantan and Penang respectively, he furthered his education at Plymouth College and Leeds University, England.

His multi-cultural academic and social background has resulted in Seng Giaw being fluent in Mnadarin, English, Bahasa Malaysia, and competent in the writing of Malay in the Jawi script. Seng Giaw's academic qualifications include a M.B.Ch.B. (Leeds), D.Obs. R.C.O.G, M.R.C.P (UK) and finally a M.D. honours (Leeds) in 1976. [...]


His social activities today include the office of Pengerusi Kehormat of Persatuan Murid-murid Tua, Chung Ling for the states of Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang and Kuala Lumpur.

Tan's political involvement began in 1976, during which he served the people of Kepong on behalf of Dr. Tan Chee Khoon. He is was the Democratic Action Party's National Vice Deputy Chairman and Member of Parliament for the constituency of Kepong [since 1982. In March 2008 he won by a majority of 23,848 votes].

In 1972, Dr. Tan married Oon Hong Geok, a paediatrician and has two daughters. His wife used to be active in the political scene and represented Taman Aman, Petaling Jaya as a state assemblywoman.

In parliament he plays a sterling role, serving on the Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) as Deputy Chief (to UMNO's Azmi Khalid) and has been a vigilant watchdog on behalf of the public in scrutinizing government finance and expenditure.

Tan Seng Giaw (L) and Azmi Khalid (R)

Awesome, isn't he?

BUT ...

But during the just completed DAP party elections, he was NOT placed in the top 20 for the CEC.


Why was he unsuccessful? Well, my easy answer would be 'lots of reasons', wakakaka.


But anyway, look at his seniority in DAP (years and then Deputy chairperson), his tenure as a DAP MP since 1982 with his most recent victory in 2008 recording a resounding majority that tsunami-ed his MCA opponent away into the Straits of Malacca, and his contributions to both party and nation, etc etc etc.


Yet he was NOT voted into the CEC top 20, but had to be co-opted as one of 10 selected (not voted).

We may deem him as not popular enough among the party delegates to be voted in. Hmmm, maybe he didn't campaign enough or effectively on his own behalf among the party delegates?

OK, lamentable as the DAP party election result has been for Tan Seng Giaw who is no longer the party's deputy chairperson, hasn't it been democratic?

His non-election as one of the top 20 CEC members had been the decision of the voting delegates, and could not be manmanlai-ed a la the style of another party where in its deputy presidential election the total of the votes for 2 candidates at a location exceeded the number of party voters registered, with a party returning officer then questionably declaring a draw wakakaka.


As Lim Guan Eng stated: "We do not control who the delegates choose. We accept the results (of the elections). This is democracy."

Look also at two other high profile DAP leaders - Teresa Kok and DAP Perak Chief, Ngeh Koo Ham. 

Everyone knows the Sassy MP, and I admit I love her (her competency lah, wakakaka).

Teresa as Seputeh MP holds the record for the biggest majority for an election victory in any parliamentary constituency. As Kinrara ADUN, she heads the party with the second most number of ADUNs and should have been deputy MB Selangor but for PAS' objections (during the Solar-Powered era) and Khalid Ibrahim's lack of spine in supporting her due status.

She's very active and productive and thus very high profile in her parliamentary and state duties and was once ISA-ed. She was also falsely accused by UMNO of criticizing azan calls, an indication of their fear of her immense popularity among her Malay constituencies.

But she almost didn't make it into the CEC, being voted at an uncomfortable 18th place. The poor darling sweetie explained that her role as party organizing secretary and some of her difficult and unpopular decisions had affected the voting. But nonetheless, she was placed at 18th when you would have expected her to be among the top 5.

Ngeh Koo Ham

Now, Ngeh Koo Ham has gained the unfortunate notoriety of controlling a faction within the Perak DAP which is at odds with another DAP stalwart, Kulasegaran. Kula has the last laugh by coming in at 16th for the elected CEC, while Ngeh very nearly didn't make it, and just squeezed into 20th position.

Kulasegaran

Maybe the 2576 DAP delegates voting at the party election are against certain Chinese, people like Tan who along with 47 other candidates didn't make it? Maybe they have been against Teresa and Ngeh too, though not vigorous enough to cut them out of the top 20?

Whichever, whatever, there's no denying democracy had been in action at the DAP's party election, frighteningly nail-biting for some like Teresa and Ngeh, and disappointing for Tan and 47 others.

While we should expect UMNO to make issues out of the DAP party election result for not including any Malay candidate among the top 20, we consider it a humongous joke that Koh Tsu Koon has the thick brazen hypocritical skin to comment on that.

Pordah, Ah Koon, take a look in the mirror lah (at your own Gerakan party).

Ah Koon waving UMNO keris

But for you, dear readers, please pause a wee while and take a look at the fate of Tan Seng Giaw and indeed 47 others (including 8 Malays) before you condemn the DAP for not being inclusive.


What should the DAP delegates have done? Should they have voted for tokenism or for what promises the candidates hold for the party's continuing success, service to the public and the nation's future, based on the candidates  policy declarations during the party election campaign?

As blogger Sakmongkol AK47 or Dato Ariff Sabri, a DAP member, has written in his The DAP Malays:

Dato Ariff Sabri

UMNO and its supporters are making cannon fodder of the unsuccessful attempts by 8 Malay DAP members to get placement in the 20-person CEC. I wrote this article before the appointment of 2 Malays into the CEC.


Lt Colonel Rosli a former serviceman who is now practising as a lawyer in Seremban said it best: The next person sitting to me asked for my name, told him and he didn't even know I was contesting. I wasn't going to campaign to him there and then.


Which means, the unsuccessful bid for places in DAP’s CEC is more a case for being relative unknowns.


Indeed and now let me flash back in time to the 2004 election in the federal constituency of Bukit Bendera (Penang) and the fate of my Penang larng (fellow Penangite), Zulkifli Mohd Noor.

Zul Noor

Zul stood as DAP candidate there, which we could even declare as a Chinese heartland. Yes, Bukit Bendera has been (still is) a Chinese majority federal seat where the ethnic breakdown of voters would be (based on 2004 figures) about 14 % Malays, 11% Indians, and 74% Chinese, with Others (Thai, Eurasians, etc) at 1%.

There were 47,000 voters who turned up. Obviously to win, a candidate required 23,501 (in simple terms).

Zul won about 18000 of the 47000 votes, and that’s no mean feat for a Malay candidate in a Chinese heartland, because even if all 14% Malays in that constituency had turned up to cast their ballots for Zulkifli, he wouldn't get more than 5000 votes. And we know that's just not possible because UMNO has been active there since TAR's time.

So, ask yourself, where did the other 13,000 votes come from? From the 11% Indians and 1% Others?

part of Bukit Bendera constiruency

Zul was just 5 to 6000 votes short of victory and that, ... 

(a) taking into context of Malaysian ethnic-driven voting, 

(b) 2004 was the height of AAB’s Bao Gong-ness wakakaka, 

(c) Zul’s opponent was the formidable Chia Kwang Chye (Gerakan) who was no sloth and very popular with the locals, 

Chia Kwang Chye

(d) Bukit Bendera was/is a Chinese heartland, 

... meant that Zul almost won, and while he didn't actually, nonetheless had been a humongous moral victory for him and DAP and DAP supporters.

I had then written on my disappointment at Zul’s loss or almost-victory, and why Zul didn’t make it. 

One of the three factors for his loss that I offered was that he was only exposed/introduced to the locals in Bukit Bendera a wee too late in the game (in 2004). Though the DAP is a powerful brand the party must not assume that alone is a magic key to winning.

Now, hasn't this been what Sakmongkol has written as to the probable cause of the 8 Malay candidates for the DAP CEC not being elected?

Hasn't this been what Lt Colonel Rosli, also a candidate for the CEC, related to Sakmongkol, that: "The next person sitting to me asked for my name, told him and he didn't even know I was contesting. I wasn't going to campaign to him there and then."

The Malay candidates must make themselves better known, and there is also an onus on the DAP leadership to help them in this regard.

just the usual kaytee's wakakaka, no offence or sublime message  intended

I had also mentioned this often enough to some DAP friends, that I was deeply disappointed to see Zul completely missing from the recent March 2008 general election, when without doubt he would have won and at the same time provided DAP with a visible multi-ethnic credentials and legitimacy.

While Sakmongkol has been spot on in his analysis of the 8 Malay candidates not making it into the DAP CEC I personally have been very disappointed that Zul was not one of the two Malays co-opted. 

Zul like Ahmad Ton had been a VP in DAP which makes me wonder whether the DAP Young Ones are even aware of this. And it had been The Young Ones making quite a significant impact in the recent party election.

Additionally while I support the DAP for co-opting half a dozen members from Sabah and Sarawak into the CEC, a most righteous decision, I strongly believe the CEC should be expanded to include at least 5 Malay members, if not more, whether by election or by co-option.

This is because the DAP must not ignore the reality that 60% of Malaysians are Malays, and if it desires to be a Malaysian political party, and I know it'll be a good and righteous one, it must have a significant Malay voice within its CEC, and ...

... if necessary, expand the CEC membership or introduce a party chairperson's (or sec-gen's) right to nominate Malay (and where relevant, Sabah, Sarawak) candidates into the CEC to achieve this.

I hope the DAP will consider my respectful suggestion and wish the party every success in its future undertakings.