2 ex-MPs pour cold water on Sim’s plan to moot policy changes
Kua Kia Soong says Steven Sim should outline his proposals, while Charles Santiago points out that the minister already has the chance to speak with the prime minister at the weekly Cabinet meetings
Ex-MP Kua Kia Soong wants Steven Sim to outline his proposals while Charles Santiago wonders why Sim does not raise his concerns during the weekly Cabinet meetings.
PETALING JAYA: Two former DAP MPs poured cold water on Steven Sim’s plan to meet the prime minister to propose policy changes in the aftermath of Pakatan Harapan’s defeat in the Johor and Negeri Sembilan elections.
Kua Kia Soong said Sim, who is the Penang DAP chairman, should not just talk about policy changes without outlining the details.
He said policies that should be implemented included those made as early as 2018 in PH’s election manifesto that year. However, many of them, including federal recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), remain unresolved.
Kua, who was Petaling Jaya MP from 1990 to 1995, also wondered if Sim could list the misgivings voters had with PH.
“DAP is behaving like the MCA did when Barisan Nasional was in power and voters are sick of such politics,” he told FMT, alluding to past criticism of MCA “kowtowing” to the Umno-led government.
“Don’t just talk about policy changes in an attempt to wiggle out of basic questions,” he added.
Kua also expressed curiosity about how effective Sim’s planned meeting with Anwar would be.
“If the DAP secretary-general cannot influence the prime minister, why would Sim be any different?” he asked, referring to Loke Siew Fook.
Loke had, in the aftermath of the wipeout at the Sabah polls in 2025, said the party would gather feedback and accelerate its reform agenda over six months together with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is also PH chairman.
Kua also wondered if Sim would speak about reforms within DAP at the upcoming congress, as it was “not all the government’s fault”. One issue is whether the party should adopt the “one leader, one elected legislature” principle.
“The other question to ask is how so-called ‘reformists’ only realise there is a problem when they are knocked out in elections. Are these not discussed in the DAP CEC meetings?”
Charles Santiago is bemused by Sim’s remarks as he is already a member of Anwar’s Cabinet. Sim is the entrepreneur and cooperatives development minister.
“They meet every Wednesday,” the former Klang MP pointed out, referring to the Cabinet meetings.
“Is Sim saying that he did not push these policies then?” he asked, adding that such statements would invite ridicule.
He also questioned the need to meet with the prime minister only after being defeated at the polls.
“People would have thought that meeting the prime minister to discuss plans was part and parcel of being in the Cabinet.”
Santiago went on to say that the government could implement many “low-hanging fruits” such as a minimum wage for gig workers or a national school meal plan.
He said rolling out such policies could even help the government win votes.
“It’s not rocket science. We already have the mechanisms. It is a matter of implementing them,” Santiago added.
Kua Kia Soong said Sim, who is the Penang DAP chairman, should not just talk about policy changes without outlining the details.
He said policies that should be implemented included those made as early as 2018 in PH’s election manifesto that year. However, many of them, including federal recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), remain unresolved.
Kua, who was Petaling Jaya MP from 1990 to 1995, also wondered if Sim could list the misgivings voters had with PH.
“DAP is behaving like the MCA did when Barisan Nasional was in power and voters are sick of such politics,” he told FMT, alluding to past criticism of MCA “kowtowing” to the Umno-led government.
“Don’t just talk about policy changes in an attempt to wiggle out of basic questions,” he added.
Kua also expressed curiosity about how effective Sim’s planned meeting with Anwar would be.
“If the DAP secretary-general cannot influence the prime minister, why would Sim be any different?” he asked, referring to Loke Siew Fook.
Loke had, in the aftermath of the wipeout at the Sabah polls in 2025, said the party would gather feedback and accelerate its reform agenda over six months together with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is also PH chairman.
Kua also wondered if Sim would speak about reforms within DAP at the upcoming congress, as it was “not all the government’s fault”. One issue is whether the party should adopt the “one leader, one elected legislature” principle.
“The other question to ask is how so-called ‘reformists’ only realise there is a problem when they are knocked out in elections. Are these not discussed in the DAP CEC meetings?”
Charles Santiago is bemused by Sim’s remarks as he is already a member of Anwar’s Cabinet. Sim is the entrepreneur and cooperatives development minister.
“They meet every Wednesday,” the former Klang MP pointed out, referring to the Cabinet meetings.
“Is Sim saying that he did not push these policies then?” he asked, adding that such statements would invite ridicule.
He also questioned the need to meet with the prime minister only after being defeated at the polls.
“People would have thought that meeting the prime minister to discuss plans was part and parcel of being in the Cabinet.”
Santiago went on to say that the government could implement many “low-hanging fruits” such as a minimum wage for gig workers or a national school meal plan.
He said rolling out such policies could even help the government win votes.
“It’s not rocket science. We already have the mechanisms. It is a matter of implementing them,” Santiago added.
DAP to split soon.
ReplyDeleteNot if but when😁
Hehe Hehe... Kua has had bad blood with Lau Tah, then later Guanee, and has been a gadfly with the DAP leadership ever since...
ReplyDeleteCharles Santiago was very bitter with DAP being dropped from defending his seat as Klang MP in 2022, and has been a loud critic since.
DAP (as well as PKR) have been very bad at amicably coopting or gracefully retiring 2nd or 3rd tier political leaders who need to make way for other faces.
UMNO seems much better (usually) at getting this done in a way that doesn't morph them into enemies.