GEORGE TOWN: A DAP grassroot leader said the results of yesterday’s state party elections showed it is still very much a Chinese-based party.
R. Ganeson, chairman of the DAP Happy Valley branch, under the Bukit Gelugor division, said his biggest disappointment was that Zairil Khir Johari, the sole Malay who was voted into the state DAP line-up in the last party elections, was not re-elected yesterday.
“The delegates are still race-based when choosing candidates. They should be mature enough to choose a well-balanced composition... Looks like we are still race-based,” he told the NSTP today.
His sentiment was shared by Universiti Sains Malaysia political analyst Professor Dr Sivamurugan Pandian, who opined that the results would legitimise DAP as a Chinese-based party rather than a multi-ethnic party.
According to Ganeson, this happens because factionalism still prevailed in the party, and many of the branches were still being controlled by the warlords-cum-the-dynasty.
“They are still old style. They are still into the old trend. This is something that DAP should break away from.
“We are living in a multi-racial country and need to get away from race-based politics.
“The rakyat is not like before. They can bring down the 60-year Barisan Nasional government,” he said.
Ganeson also lamented that “things are getting tougher in DAP” with candidates now rushing to get a post in the party.
He also pointed to the poor turnout during debate, with less than 100 delegates in the hall, from the nearly 800 who were present earlier in the day to vote.
“Looks like they are more interested in the elections. After the elections, most of the delegates are missing. This does not augur well for the party,” he said.
The Penang DAP’s party elections delivered stunning results yesterday with both state vice chairmen failing to defend their posts for the 2018-2020 term.
The failure of P. Ramasamy, who is the Penang Deputy Chief Minister II, and Zairil Khir Johari, a state executive councillor, to emerge among the top 15 candidates –with just 303 and 328 votes, respectively – came as a major surprise.
State DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow, however, maintained his resounding win, polling 520 votes and keeping the seat he has held since 1999.
Ramasamy and Zairil were not the only committee members to perform poorly. Other shock exits include former Bagan Dalam assemblyman A. Thansekharan and Sungai Pinang assemblyman Lim Siew Khim.
Two members of Parliament –- Kasthuri Patto (Batu Kawan) and RSN Rayer (Jelutong) –- also failed to make it into the top 15.
Meanwhile, Sivamurugan said the losers had to find reasons for their failure.
“As for the party leadership, they have to find ways to attract delegates to support multi-ethnic candidates.
“Also, valid reasons must be given to those co-opted into the line-up despite losing in the elections,” he said, adding that for DAP to be seen as a multi-ethnic party, there should be recruitments from various groups and elevated to top positions.
“There certainly cannot be rhetorics. Solid implementation is needed. Followers should be given due recognition and allowed to participate actively.
“As a ruling government party, they need party image branding,” he said.
Sivamurugan said the possibility of factions within the party led to big names losing in the elections.
Chow, meanwhile, did not respond to the NSTP’s query on the outcome of yesterday’s party elections.