Maverick Ronnie Liu surprised by the strong support he received in party polls
Martin Vengadesan
When the dust settled on last weekend’s DAP leadership election, veteran party leader Ronnie Liu got a pleasant surprise.
He had not been confident of being retained by the party’s delegates but instead put a strong showing by garnering 1,070 votes and making it comfortably into the party’s central committee when a number of elected MPs failed to make the cut.
Sungai Pelek assemblyperson Liu has been with the party since the 1980s but had clashed with some of his fellow members and was even given a number of show-cause letters by the party in 2019.
“I am not so surprised with my win, but surprised that my votes are high.
“Many of the top leaders were quite upset with my criticism against ex-prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and we also had some clashes when I said the DAP, while multiracial in nature, need not ‘dilute its Chineseness’ just to gain Malay support.
“I also made public pleas just before the Johor elections to Liew Chin Tong to keep incumbents and bring in dissidents like Dr Boo Cheng Hau, who have helped build up Johor DAP.
“So I thought that those leaders who were upset with me might use their influence to persuade members not to vote for me,” Liu told Malaysiakini.
When the dust settled on last weekend’s DAP leadership election, veteran party leader Ronnie Liu got a pleasant surprise.
He had not been confident of being retained by the party’s delegates but instead put a strong showing by garnering 1,070 votes and making it comfortably into the party’s central committee when a number of elected MPs failed to make the cut.
Sungai Pelek assemblyperson Liu has been with the party since the 1980s but had clashed with some of his fellow members and was even given a number of show-cause letters by the party in 2019.
“I am not so surprised with my win, but surprised that my votes are high.
“Many of the top leaders were quite upset with my criticism against ex-prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and we also had some clashes when I said the DAP, while multiracial in nature, need not ‘dilute its Chineseness’ just to gain Malay support.
“I also made public pleas just before the Johor elections to Liew Chin Tong to keep incumbents and bring in dissidents like Dr Boo Cheng Hau, who have helped build up Johor DAP.
“So I thought that those leaders who were upset with me might use their influence to persuade members not to vote for me,” Liu told Malaysiakini.
The new DAP leadership line-up
He said that there was an element of vindication in his strong showing.
“I believe that many delegates out there agreed with me for speaking out against Mahathir when he did a lot of nonsense during Pakatan Harapan’s time in government.
“Even when Mahathir was doing terrible things like bringing Umno frogs into Bersatu, attending the Malay Dignity Congress and dismissing the election promises, these DAP leaders wanted to be seen as close to him. So they became meek and blind to his faults.
“All these are terrible things and the grassroots are not happy, and I voiced out.”
Declining to name names, Liu nonetheless said that he was not surprised at some of those who lost.
“They were surprised because they are not aware of their own mistakes. Slashing of funds for TAR College, not insisting on UEC recognition, didn’t deliver on dismantling of tolls, failing to get justice for Teoh Beng Hock, all this angered and disappointed the members.
Party polls winners should be given a chance
Asked whether his victory meant that he should be allowed to defend his state assembly seat, he said that while the selection of candidates should not be directly influenced by the party polls, he felt that there were enough seats to go around.
He said that there was an element of vindication in his strong showing.
“I believe that many delegates out there agreed with me for speaking out against Mahathir when he did a lot of nonsense during Pakatan Harapan’s time in government.
“Even when Mahathir was doing terrible things like bringing Umno frogs into Bersatu, attending the Malay Dignity Congress and dismissing the election promises, these DAP leaders wanted to be seen as close to him. So they became meek and blind to his faults.
“All these are terrible things and the grassroots are not happy, and I voiced out.”
Declining to name names, Liu nonetheless said that he was not surprised at some of those who lost.
“They were surprised because they are not aware of their own mistakes. Slashing of funds for TAR College, not insisting on UEC recognition, didn’t deliver on dismantling of tolls, failing to get justice for Teoh Beng Hock, all this angered and disappointed the members.
Party polls winners should be given a chance
Asked whether his victory meant that he should be allowed to defend his state assembly seat, he said that while the selection of candidates should not be directly influenced by the party polls, he felt that there were enough seats to go around.
Charles Santiago (centre) - this picture was taken during his visit to assist families affected by last December’s floods in Klang
“You only have 30 central committee members but we need to fight hundreds of seats, so I think they should be given a chance. This is the vote of more than a thousand delegates, so if we are democratic we should stick to giving them a chance. If you don’t you should explain to the members why they are not good enough.
“Having said that, if the candidate is a good MP like (three-term) Klang MP Charles Santiago who didn’t make it, I don’t think they should be dropped just because they didn’t win,” Liu added.
Misunderstood man
Liu said that he has suffered from a number of false perceptions.
“For example, when I win they said ‘come back’, but I never left. I was elected three years ago. I became a CEC member 25 years ago. I’m a former exco and even though I received three show-cause letters, I never left the party, even though some close to me told me to walk away.
“While they say I am a trouble maker or not a team player, I believe I am original DAP. I have never run away and always keep the values.
“My quote last year, I was just saying while we are going after a new voter base I don’t believe in dumping the old one. Somehow this got me portrayed as a Chinese chauvinist.
“But I am not. I am a democratic socialist from the very beginning, that’s the way forward,” Liu said.
He said it was high time for party leaders to admit the mistakes that were made during their time in the federal government.
“Why do you need to do that? Because the elections have proven that 30-40 percent refused to come out to vote. They were disappointed by our performance and blunders. Of course, we did some good things, but people remember the bad things.
“Now, Harapan has a huge trust deficit, thanks to Mahathir and the turncoats. All my colleagues - until today - some are being scorned by the members – why were you keeping quiet when the manifesto was tossed aside when Mahathir was courting Umno and PAS support?” he said.
Time is right for Kit Siang to step down
Liu said that veteran leader Lim Kit Siang had done the right thing by stepping down, now that he was into his 80s.
Lim Kit Siang announcing his retirement from politics
“It’s high time for LKS to step down and give way to younger leaders. He has done his best and shaped us with his ideas. For example, he wanted the grassroots project Impian Malaysia, which we accepted and are trying to do it. Young leaders in DAP are ready to take over. And he is already 81, so it’s good for him, family and party to take a rest.”
Asked whether he would step down soon, Liu laughed, saying: “When the time comes I will go, but I am only 63 now.
He also weighed in on Boo’s call for party leaders facing corruption and criminal charges not to hold any public offices until their charges are cleared by the court of law, with Boo specifically mentioning new party chairperson Lim Guan Eng.
“(Activist and lawyer) Ambiga Sreenevasan has already said that Guan Eng should step down until he clears his name.
“If Karpal Singh was around, I believe that he would say the same,” he added.
Liu said he is alarmed that some younger DAP leaders don’t seem to understand the party is about defending the common man.
“I didn’t like statements that are not in support of minimum wage. I support minimum wage but there must be a special fund to help those in the small business that are already suffering.
“Let’s say that your staff is 100. It will kill the business if the wage increase is more than the profit margin
“But at the same time, it’s very hard to survive even on RM1,500. So we have to try to move this forward,” said Liu.
Party divides misrepresented
He said it was high time for DAP to have a political school to ingrain the ideological commitments of the party, and suggested more direct democracy, and more committees to have more ideas and programmes such as on labour, cultural, environmental and housing issues.
“It’s high time for LKS to step down and give way to younger leaders. He has done his best and shaped us with his ideas. For example, he wanted the grassroots project Impian Malaysia, which we accepted and are trying to do it. Young leaders in DAP are ready to take over. And he is already 81, so it’s good for him, family and party to take a rest.”
Asked whether he would step down soon, Liu laughed, saying: “When the time comes I will go, but I am only 63 now.
He also weighed in on Boo’s call for party leaders facing corruption and criminal charges not to hold any public offices until their charges are cleared by the court of law, with Boo specifically mentioning new party chairperson Lim Guan Eng.
“(Activist and lawyer) Ambiga Sreenevasan has already said that Guan Eng should step down until he clears his name.
“If Karpal Singh was around, I believe that he would say the same,” he added.
Liu said he is alarmed that some younger DAP leaders don’t seem to understand the party is about defending the common man.
“I didn’t like statements that are not in support of minimum wage. I support minimum wage but there must be a special fund to help those in the small business that are already suffering.
“Let’s say that your staff is 100. It will kill the business if the wage increase is more than the profit margin
“But at the same time, it’s very hard to survive even on RM1,500. So we have to try to move this forward,” said Liu.
Party divides misrepresented
He said it was high time for DAP to have a political school to ingrain the ideological commitments of the party, and suggested more direct democracy, and more committees to have more ideas and programmes such as on labour, cultural, environmental and housing issues.
“All of us in DAP must be for justice, equality, peace, democracy, freedom, solidarity- fighting for the downtrodden,” he said.
However, Liu did downplay some of the perceived groupings with the party.
“This so-called divide between Chinese Ed and English Ed doesn’t really exist because most of our top leaders are bilingual or trilingual.
“Nor is there any racial grouping.
“However, regional support blocs are one thing. A certain strongman in Perak or Sarawak might have their supporters who align to their agenda. Also, some people are more outspoken - so birds of a feather flock together and may tend to work together.
“It’s also very real that we do have opportunists in the party. And there are some cronyism and nepotism. All these things lead to factionalism, but this is not unique to DAP and exists in all parties.
“I believe we must stick to our principles so that the party can remain united,” he said.
DAP’s future may lie in a merger
Liu is all too aware that despite a multi-racial philosophy on paper, DAP still struggles to rid itself of the Chinese-dominated image. The recent elections saw 25 Chinese, three Indians, one Kadazan and one Malay elected to its central committee while only one of its 42 MPs is a Malay. Hardly convincing for a Malaysian Malaysia message.
“I did a study before and there are so many choices, especially for Malays. There are Umno and PAS, but only PKR has a multiracial message. Now there is Amanah, Bersatu, Pejuang, etc.
“DAP is only one option available but its history is that it grew in opposition to the racial policies of the Alliance government and especially, the BN-led Ketuanan Melayu.
“Umno and PAS, and Mahathir, poisoned the minds of the Malays that we are anti-Islam because we are secular, and even calling us Communists. Through their machinery of the radio, TV and newspapers, they poisoned the minds of most Malays against us.
“So when Anwar Ibrahim talks about needs-based, not race-based affirmative action to really help the poor – which is a good and fair policy, they twist it up and attack him. They don’t like Anwar to be so liberal and close to DAP. It’s a challenge,” Liu said.
PKR president Anwar Ibrahim
He said that DAP’s new leadership still has to keep fighting these issues.
“Now they need to lift the party and coalition from the quagmire. The whole world believes that Harapan is going to lose big time in the next GE. But we must not give up – we need a new narrative and new image but we must maintain our core values.
“I don’t believe in the ‘big tent’ and working with the parties without credibility, like Pejuang. We must work with all forces which are progressive and multiracial. Ketuanan Rakyat not Melayu and Cina.
“I think if we are honest and pick good candidates, we still stand a chance – a core of DAP, PKR, Amanah and Upko. For Muda, I would suggest that they join Harapan too instead of not joining. And for the time being no Warisan because they don’t seem to want us,” Liu added.
He said that politics is such a complex field but without its platform, one cannot change the world.
“My long-term plan is I want all the progressive parties to dissolve and merge into a single multi-racial progressive party for all Malaysians.
“Not now, but in the long term. That means all our historical baggage vanishes overnight, not Anwar’s party, not communist, not anti-Malay. With the same values of fighting for justice and equality, I think this can be a model for the future,” Liu said.
He said that DAP’s new leadership still has to keep fighting these issues.
“Now they need to lift the party and coalition from the quagmire. The whole world believes that Harapan is going to lose big time in the next GE. But we must not give up – we need a new narrative and new image but we must maintain our core values.
“I don’t believe in the ‘big tent’ and working with the parties without credibility, like Pejuang. We must work with all forces which are progressive and multiracial. Ketuanan Rakyat not Melayu and Cina.
“I think if we are honest and pick good candidates, we still stand a chance – a core of DAP, PKR, Amanah and Upko. For Muda, I would suggest that they join Harapan too instead of not joining. And for the time being no Warisan because they don’t seem to want us,” Liu added.
He said that politics is such a complex field but without its platform, one cannot change the world.
“My long-term plan is I want all the progressive parties to dissolve and merge into a single multi-racial progressive party for all Malaysians.
“Not now, but in the long term. That means all our historical baggage vanishes overnight, not Anwar’s party, not communist, not anti-Malay. With the same values of fighting for justice and equality, I think this can be a model for the future,” Liu said.
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