God save DAP, says Liu after amendment to party constitution
Ronnie Liu says only the Registrar of Societies can save the party from ‘deteriorating into an undemocratic entity’.
PETALING JAYA: A DAP leader has lamented the party’s move to amend its constitution so that elected representatives who do not toe the party line on fundamental issues would automatically lose their membership.
DAP central executive committee (CEC) member Ronnie Liu said the decision suggests that DAP may no longer be democratic, adding that only the Registrar of Societies (RoS) can save the party from “deteriorating into an undemocratic entity”.
If the amendment had been in place in the past, Liu said he would have already been removed from the party since he had been vocal about various issues, such as the leadership of Dr Mahathir Mohamad when Pakatan Harapan was in power, the arrests of 12 people over links to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), and the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC).
“I could have ‘died’ many times. With the amendments, one ceases to be a member upon non-compliance of the CEC’s directive (in writing). And the CEC has every right to issue any directive targeting any elected representative.”
The Sungai Pelek assemblyman claimed that if the directive came from the secretary-general it would not even need to be in writing.
“God save DAP,” he said in a Facebook post.
At a special congress yesterday, DAP successfully passed a motion to amend its constitution to safeguard the party from what it called a “loophole” in the anti-hopping law, in which MPs sacked by their party do not have to vacate their seats.
DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook said the party will file an application with the RoS to update the party’s constitution, hoping that the amendment could be implemented before the next general election.
DAP is the second Pakatan Harapan component to have amended its party constitution to deal with the “loophole” in the anti-hopping law.
On Sept 18, Amanah amended its constitution so that any MP, senator, or state assemblyman who goes against the party’s decisions would automatically lose their membership.
PETALING JAYA: A DAP leader has lamented the party’s move to amend its constitution so that elected representatives who do not toe the party line on fundamental issues would automatically lose their membership.
DAP central executive committee (CEC) member Ronnie Liu said the decision suggests that DAP may no longer be democratic, adding that only the Registrar of Societies (RoS) can save the party from “deteriorating into an undemocratic entity”.
If the amendment had been in place in the past, Liu said he would have already been removed from the party since he had been vocal about various issues, such as the leadership of Dr Mahathir Mohamad when Pakatan Harapan was in power, the arrests of 12 people over links to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), and the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC).
“I could have ‘died’ many times. With the amendments, one ceases to be a member upon non-compliance of the CEC’s directive (in writing). And the CEC has every right to issue any directive targeting any elected representative.”
The Sungai Pelek assemblyman claimed that if the directive came from the secretary-general it would not even need to be in writing.
“God save DAP,” he said in a Facebook post.
At a special congress yesterday, DAP successfully passed a motion to amend its constitution to safeguard the party from what it called a “loophole” in the anti-hopping law, in which MPs sacked by their party do not have to vacate their seats.
DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook said the party will file an application with the RoS to update the party’s constitution, hoping that the amendment could be implemented before the next general election.
DAP is the second Pakatan Harapan component to have amended its party constitution to deal with the “loophole” in the anti-hopping law.
On Sept 18, Amanah amended its constitution so that any MP, senator, or state assemblyman who goes against the party’s decisions would automatically lose their membership.
I believe in a functioning democracy, it is good to allow members to voice their disagreement within the confines of the party apparatus.
ReplyDeleteHowever, once all debates have ceased and the party decision is transmitted, all members are obligated to toe the party line. To allow otherwise would create chaos and confusion.
If people like Liu thinks that he should continue to voice his disagreement, he should be brave enough to leave the party on principles alone (like what Zaid did - of course Zaid has now reversed course)