Lim Guan Eng is raging against the light, before going gently into the night

Lim Guan Eng is raging against the light, before going gently into the night


11 Mar 2025 • 10:00 AM MYT


TheRealNehruism
Writer. Seeker. Teacher

Photo Credit: Malay Mail


In retrospect, Lim Guan Eng should have never quit his position as the Chief Minister of Penang to accept the role of the Finance Minister in 2018.


As the Chief Minister of Penang, he commanded the most important DAP fortress, had the reputation of competence and capability and he seemed certain to inherit the mantle of DAP leadership from his father, Lim Kit Siang.


After he became the Finance Minister however, not only did he become a laughing stock, it looks like he might be ousted from his birth right, as the heir apparent of DAP as well.


Since losing his Finance Minister post in 2020, when the Pakatan 1.0 government collapsed, Lim Guan Eng's fortune has so steadily declined, that in the coming March 16 DAP election, there is distinct possibility that it might be fully snuffed out.


If Lim Guan Eng’s dismal performance as a the Finance Minister wasn’t bad enough, that he was seen to be trying to wrest the Chief Minister of Penang Post from Chon Kon Yeow, a post that he himself had relinquished to Chow when he went for the Finance Minister post, just made it worse.


It was not Chow’s fault that Lim Guan Eng was not given a cabinet position after the second Pakatan Government retook Putrajaya in 2022.


The fact that Lim was not given any cabinet position in the Pakatan 2.0 government, despite being the highest ranked DAP leader in the Pakatan 1.0 government, and despite the fact that other DAP ministers in the first Pakatan government, like Gobind Singh Deo and Anthony Loke, were able to make a comeback in the second Pakatan government, must have been humiliating, but it was not Chow that was the cause of his humiliation.


Seeing so, that he was seen to be vigorously attempting to be ousting Chow, and take back what he himself had voluntarily given to Chow, just because he couldn’t perform as the Finance minister or make a comeback as a cabinet minister in the second Pakatan government, is likely being interpreted as a egregiously selfish, uncouth and uncivilised, by everyone, including the members of DAP.


It was not Lim Guan Eng’s fault that his father is Lim Kit Siang, so it is true that he should not be blamed for trying to create a nepotistic culture within DAP, like his critics claim. Afterall, Lim Guan Eng had paid his dues to earn his badge in DAP. Amongst the few DAP members who can claim to have gone to prison for the sake of the party, Lim Guan Eng is one.


But Lim Guan Eng probably misunderstands the fact that he is often accused of trying to create a “dynasty” has less to do with the fact that his father is Lim Kit Siang than it has to do with his own conduct and performance.


A man who does not know himself to the point that he left the position that gave him strength for the position that brought about his downfall, sheerly because he was prodded by ambition, cannot be counted to lead a party.


Such a man might cause the organisation to speed ahead when it is supposed to slow down or make a move when it should wait, or vice versa, and cause the organisation to wrest defeat from the jaws of victory, or drop the victory that fell onto its lap.


Worse, the fact that Lim was in dispute with Chow, to the extent that he was seen to be trying to take back the CM post that he himself had relinquished to Chow, is probably being interpreted by the members of DAP, not only as a sign of a lack of culture, gentlemanliness or sportsmanship, it is also establishing the perception that Lim likely does see DAP as his “father’s party”, where he can do anything he wants and expect to get away with it.


While Lim Guan Eng might sound defiant at Zahid Hamidi claiming that his time has passed, by claiming that the question of who should lead DAP will be determined by the party members, not outsiders like Zahid, I think Lim Guan Eng is putting too much stock in how much the rank and file in DAP is valuing him.


I have already remarked in an earlier article that DAP’s members have likely resigned themselves to accept that DAP’s leadership must pass from its true believers, who fought for the party at a time when it was against the government, to its men of action, who will now have to work together with those lie outside the party, including its former enemies, in order to construct the vision of Malaysia that DAP has, even if not in full measure, then at least to a significant extent.


According to analysts, there are currently two camps in DAP. One belongs to the Men of Action, headed by DAP’s secretary general Anthony Loke, and the other to the old True Believers who are not ready to pass the baton, headed by Lim Guan Eng.


Of the two, the times favour Anthony Loke, because this is the time for the Men of Action, not the True Believers, in DAP.


Also, the True Believers are also disadvantaged by the fact that it is being led by Lim Guan Eng.


Lim Guan Eng is not a bona fide True Believer. His father, Lim Kit Siang, is a bona fide true believer, and Lim Guan Eng might have inherited the image of being a true believer, on account of being his father’s son, but internally, he is not composed of the same mettle as a bona fide true believer like his father or those who stood with his father in the past.


While publicly, DAP has largely stood behind Lim Guan Eng during such scandals like the Tunnel-gate or Bungalow-gate, privately, many likely begrudge Lim Guan Eng for being implicated in these scandals in the first place.


This is especially true of the old True Believers, who valued the quality of sacrifice, or being willing to sacrifice one's time, energy, resources and even freedom, in order to stand beside the party in its time of need. That Lim Guan Eng is seen as being too comfortable in trying to gain benefits from the party, to the point of weakening the party, is surely something that is rubbing many of the old True Believers the wrong way.


Today, the old true believers might be standing behind Lim Guan Eng, not because they believe that he stands for the values that they believe in, but simply because they have no other choice. He is the only one they have to stand against the Men-of-Action, led by Anthony Loke, and they have to accept his leadership, because they have no one else amongst them to take the role.


Considering that the True Believers are not behind Lim Guan Eng full heartedly, and many likely believe that Lim Guan Eng is only championing their cause because he is personally desirous of position and status, rather than because he truly believes in the party ideals, will likely cause Lim Guan Eng to not be able to fully harness their strength, if he were to decide to confront Loke and the Men of Action.


Reportedly, Anthony Loke has met Lim Guan Eng to persuade him to not stand for re-election as the Chairman of DAP.


To not stand for re-election for the position of Chairman and just resign himself to accept a position in DAP’s CEC, is a honourable, dignified, face saving and realistic manner for Lim Guan Eng to address his circumstances, but I have doubts that Lim Guan Eng will go out without a fight.


The fact that he will not go out without a fight, will further be seen as why Lim Guan Eng is not fit to hold the position of chairman, on account of his inability to not conflate own interests and prospects, with that of the party and its ideals, which will in turn further erode the confidence that the True Believers and regular members have on his leadership capabilities.


However, saying that, I also feel that Lim Guan Eng has been so long associated with DAP, that if DAP has to oust him kicking and screaming, his departure might cause a debilitating trauma in DAP, in the same way that that the ouster of Mahathir caused a debilitating trauma in Umno, that is still affecting it until today.


“The moving finger writes; and, having writ, moves on: nor all thy piety nor wit shall lure it back to cancel half a line, nor all thy tears wash out a word of it.”


“Que Sera Sera, what will be , will be.”


That Lim Guan Eng raging against the light and refusing to go gently into the night, might put DAP’s destiny at risk, but if it is fated that DAP’s destiny is to fall into danger, then what can be done to prevent it?


DAP’s election is on March 16. By the end of this month, we will know how the cookies have crumbled in DAP.