From its formative era and throughout the decades in withstood the test of time in the political wilderness, the DAP staked a legitimate claim to being a beacon of democratic values.
Democratic ideals were the mainstay of the party’s struggle. Beholden to the guiding principles of transparency, meritocracy and competency, the DAP was at the forefront agitating for socioeconomic and political transformation of the status quo.
Sadly, that philosophical fortitude appears to have been compromised ever since the party, waded, by choice, waded into the “unity government”.
Whether it was for its vested interests or otherwise, this move has blurred the purity of the values that were the DAP’s bedrock.
The rot, in all probability, seeped in when its founding ideals were set aside in forging an alliance in the unity government.
While the justification for this move was compelling – to provide stability to the nation’s political landscape – the flip side was the unimaginable collaboration with its sworn adversaries, Umno and its Barisan Nasional coalition partners.
After two years of walking down this slippery slope in working with a motley bunch of political entities, the DAP seems to have lost its bearings on fundamental issues such as its pledge to remove obnoxious, draconian laws such as Sosma [Security Offences (Special Measures) Act].
- Sign up for Aliran's free daily email updates or weekly newsletters or both
- Make a one-off donation to Persatuan Aliran Kesedaran Negara, CIMB a/c 8004240948
- Make a regular pledge or periodic auto-donation to Aliran
- Become an Aliran member
That itself ought to be cause for concern. But what deserves greater scrutiny is the wall of silence of its leadership in almost all socioeconomic and political affairs affecting the people. Instead, the leadership appears to be toeing the line in its support of government policies, apparently, out of convenience.
In March 2020, soon after the Sheraton move, I wondered whether the ambience of being in government had doused the fire in the bellies of those in Pakatan Harapan.
Five years later, I am even more convinced that the collusion within the unity government has resulted in the docility of the most vociferous of them all, the DAP.
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
