Dennis Ignatius
~ Provoking discussion, dissent & debate on politics, diplomacy, human rights & civil society.
Is the DAP too mesmerized by power to see the writing on the wall?
04FridayOct 2024
[1] Johor DAP chief Liew Chin Tong is apparently a happy man. He sees the UMNO victory in the recent Mahkota by-election – which saw close cooperation between UMNO and DAP – as a template for the next general election.[1] Such is the optimism within the DAP these days that even retired DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang has been musing about the possibility of Anwar ending up as one of the longest serving prime ministers of Malaysia[2]. Left unsaid, of course, is that the DAP will be right there beside Anwar (and Zahid Hamidi) for many more years to come.
[2] Full credit to Zahid for turning an electoral disaster into a winning hand. In GE 15 his party was trashed at the polls; many thought it was the end of the road for UMNO. Not only did Zahid exploit the fractured political scene post-elections to emerge a major player in the unity government, but he also managed to consign the DAP (the second largest party in parliament) to junior status within the government. Overnight, losers became winners and winners became losers.
[3] You have to be pretty thick-skinned to be a DAP leader these days. After all, UMNO has made no secret of the fact that it dislikes the DAP and trusts them even less. In the Nenggiri by-election, DAP leaders were told to stay away as their presence wouldn’t go down well with voters in the predominantly Malay constituency.[3] In Mahkota, as soon as UMNO won, UMNO leaders began downplaying the DAP’s contribution to their victory.[4]For UMNO, it is patently clear that the present arrangement is nothing more than a temporary marriage of convenience with a much-despised rival.
[4] Like the MCA before it, the DAP is content to play second fiddle to UMNO in exchange for a seat at the table and all the privileges that come with it. DAP leaders also cling to the notion that if they meekly go along with UMNO, UMNO will accept them as partners and the present arrangement will continue indefinitely. It is just wishful thinking, of course.
[5] Whatever illusions the current DAP leadership may have, there’s no escaping the fact that UMNO considers the Chinese-based party its natural adversary. Both parties have nothing in common – UMNO’s focus is on Malay-Muslim supremacy while the DAP has traditionally campaigned for a Malaysian-Malaysia. Demonizing the DAP and playing up the existential threat that the DAP poses to Malay hegemony is the staple of UMNO and Malay politics. All that has not changed no matter how many times DAP and UMNO leaders hold hands in public.
[6] UMNO grassroots are addicted to the red meat of race and religion. It’s what they understand best and are most receptive too. It is one of the reasons why UMNO leaders do not rein in the likes of Akmal Saleh when he goes on the offensive against the DAP or seeks to show up how impotent the DAP is; they know that that is always a winning strategy. When it comes to red meat, the DAP is always at the top of the menu.
[7] UMNO has traditionally been the party of a plurality of Malay voters. They grew disillusioned with UMNO over the last decade or so only because its leaders became too engrossed in enriching themselves at the expense of the wider community. But memories are now fading. As well, Malay voters are becoming disillusioned with both Muhyiddin Yassin and Hadi Awang; the former has lost his shine, the latter has no clue how to grow the economy and keep the handouts flowing. As a result, UMNO’s campaign to win back the Malay vote is gaining steam. The stronger they get, the less they will need the DAP (and PKR).
[8] What all this means is that the DAP can dream of staying in power for decades to come but reality will catch up with them sooner than later. The writing is on the wall, but DAP leaders are too mesmerized by power to see it. Or perhaps they are just building castles in the air to impress their base.
[Dennis Ignatius |Kuala Lumpur |4th October 2024]
[1] Next step, GE16: DAP’s Chin Tong says Mahkota proves Pakatan-BN collab can work | Malay Mail |29 Sept 2024
[2] Kit Siang’s ‘crystal ball’ points to PMX becoming 1-of-3 longest serving Malaysian premiers |Focus Malaysia | 01 Oct 2023
[3] Stay out of Nenggiri, Ku Li tells DAP |Malaysia Now | 25 July 2024
[4] Johor Umno Youth chief ‘ungrateful’ for discrediting Chinese votes – Tiong | Malaysiakini |2 Oct 2024
DAP has been caponed
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