I am neither a member of DAP nor Keadilan. I am just a simple citizen who believes in a stronger opposition to act as a check and balance against the corrupt and arrogant BN.

I voted for DAP in the 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1995 and 1999 general elections and in various constituencies out of this conviction.

I wish to respond to Dirk Lance's letter, 'Keadilan, know your role'. I hope his very sectarian and self-righteous views are not reflective of the top leadership of DAP. If it is, DAP's heading for marginalisation in our society, for such rhetoric is devoid of strategic sense and reflective maturity, and uninformed by history.

If the presence of former Umno leaders in Keadilan is intolerable, then DAP itself must condemn its past for enrolling former MCA leaders like former Bukit Bintang MP Wee Choo Keong. However, in politics, mature and inclusive parties must always open their door to all those who support it, irrespective of background.

Some people do change their political views and platforms. Not all are necessarily motivated by personal interests. Winston Churchill and our own Dr Tan Chee Khoon did change views and parties without sacrificing their principles and idealism. In Biblical history, St Paul (former Saul) changed from a persecutor of Christian to a follower of Christ.

With this broader and two-sided view in mind, we cannot equate those who cross over from Umno, MCA and DAP to Keadilan with those who change sides from the opposition parties to ruling parties, because only in the latter case are material interests involved.

For those who have crossed over from old parties like Umno, MCA and DAP to a new opposition party like Keadilan, we must salute their courage because not only they gain nothing, but have probably lost a lot. In the 2000s, it was Keadilan, not DAP, that has been the target of state repression.

While most of us still respect those in DAP who have sacrificed their freedom under the ISA in the past - such as Lim Kit Siang, Chiang Heng Kai and Chan Kok Kit - we must not deny two equally important facts.

There were hundred of former Labour Party and PRM leaders who were also persecuted in the 1960s, 1970s nd 1980s, and detained under the ISA for far longer. Then PRM president and current Parti Keadilan Rakyat deputy president Dr Syed Husin Ali is one such example; former premier Anwar Ibrahim was also detained under the ISA between 1974 and 1976.

During the massive repression of 1998 to 2002, it was the reformasi and Keadilan leaders who were subject to ISA persecution.

Thus, DAP leaders were not the only ones who have sacrificed for the cause of democracy. DAP must not be self-righteous in this regard.

Young DAP members and supporters must learn to respect all democracy and human rights fighters without being coloured by their narrow sectarian prejudices, or narcissism. They must humbly learn the history of the opposition movements in this country with honest intention.

Party reform? Well, it has been proclaimed again and again in many years. I hope it will succeed this time. For genuine party reform to succeed, DAP must conduct honest soul-searching to find out the root cause as to why long-time party loyalists and veterans like former Johor chairperson SK Soong left the party, preferring to join smaller and poorer opposition party PRM.

And why Penang veteran politicians Gooi Hock Seng and Teoh Teik Huat crossed over to Keadilan. Branding them generically as 'traitors' or 'turncoats' is easy and lazy but it does not solve the inherent and structural problems of the party.