Proud of DAP
Firstly, let us examine Kua's credibility in alleging that DAP leaders are opportunists? Kua was one of the many leading Chinese educationists who joined DAP before the 1990 general elections. He was subsequently nominated as the party's candidate in Petaling Jaya and went on to be the MP for PJ (1990-1995) and a member of the DAP central executive committee.
If DAP is such an opportunist with no principles, why did a highly 'principled' man like Kua joined the party in the first place? DAP has been very consistent in its politics since its formation in 1966. Why didn't Kua joined PRM then, which supposedly a party that placed more importance in ideology? As a highly-educated academician, he should have a very good political economic analysis of the party even before he joined.
The answer is simple: He knew very well that PRM wouldn't have brought him into mainstream politics, let alone winning an election! Isn't he himself being opportunistic when he decided to join DAP?
In the 1995 general elections, he was again nominated as DAP candidate in Petaling Jaya Utara (after the delineation exercise) but was disqualified, and the rest is history.
He reportedly blamed others for the mistake. If he was a genuine democrat, he would have bore the responsibility himself and apologised to the electorate for inadvertently denying them a viable alternative in the line-up of contesting candidates.
Not only that, the mistake cost DAP an almost-certain parliamentary seat which also affected the party financially (as the party's operation is also financed by a cut from elected representatives' allowances). He subsequently resigned from the party in 1996 and wrote an image-damaging book about the party with one-sided arguments and unproven allegations.
What really makes me wonder is, if he had gone through five long, hard years in the party, why did he still accept the nomination to stand using the party's ticket in 1995?
If he was a man with principle, he should have declined and resigned from the party even before the general elections. Perhaps Kua can clear the air over this matter.
Secondly, the main objective of his article is to paint DAP as an opportunist party and damage its credibility in the opposition front. I don't know what his motive is. Perhaps he has given some clues in his first point.
I admit that DAP as a political party has its own weaknesses and problems and its leaders, being human, did make mistakes too.
I also agree with the many calls by Dapsy leaders to reform the party; but it is not because we want to challenge the elder leaders but to strengthen the party towards greater heights.
By and large, we, DAP members, are very proud of our party as it is a party with principle and would never abandon our struggle for a fair and equal society. If DAP and its leaders are opportunistic, I can imagine one or more of the following scenarios today:
a) DAP will be the second largest and second most important component party in Barisan Nasional outweighing MCA and Gerakan, after joining BN in the 1970s, as former opposition party Gerakan did.
b) Lim Kit Siang, Dr Chen Man Hin and Karpal Singh would have long been appointed senior cabinet ministers if they had brought DAP into BN in the 1970s.
Of course the above is hardly today's scenario as it would be unimaginable of Malaysia today without DAP providing the checks and balances in the past three decades. Again, every DAP member is very proud of the party's track records.
To the detractors who would like to see that it's the beginning of DAP's downfall, I'm very confident that party's leaders and members would rise to the occasion to prove the critics wrong.
Thirdly, I always have a high regard of Kua as an academician and political activist but the way he twisted the facts in the article was really disappointing. Below are some of the twisted facts:
a) "It is ludicrous for DAP to demand that its coalition partners give up their ideologies". Did DAP ever asked PAS to drop its Islamic ideology?
For the record, DAP has never asked PAS to drop its ideology. DAP leaders, particularly chairperson Lim Kit Siang, have been very consistent in his speeches and statements about this issue. All his statements and speeches about DAP's stand on this issue since the formation of BA has been compiled into a booklet). I summarise what Kit Siang has always stressed. "While DAP respect PAS' Islamic ideology, the PAS leadership must realise that an Islamic state is unsuitable for a multi-religious and multi-racial society like Malaysia where 40 percent of the population are non-Muslim".
b) "When the British Labour Party was in the political doldrums in the early 1990s, the DAP CEC was considering pulling out of the Socialist International". I would like to challenge Dr. Kua to prove his allegation, like in which CEC meeting (time and date) that this agenda was ever discussed and which CEC member has proposed this option? I would not rule out that maybe one or two CEC members had suggested it but Kua certainly cannot paint the picture that the whole CEC was supporting it. His allegation is a very serious one as it affect DAP's credibility in SI.
Fourthly, about 'Malaysian Malaysia' or democratic socialism. I would not like to argue academically with Kua about the definitions of the ideologies. What is more important is that DAP has always been at the very forefront to fight for an equal and just society. DAP will always be there if any injustice happens to any Malaysian regardless of his or her race, religion and social background. There are many past events to prove this, which I don't even have to mention here. Action speaks louder than words!
I don't have any political interest in DAP, I'm just an ordinary member and a strong supporter. I hope that Kua will not tarnish the party's image anymore just because of his personal bitterness with certain DAP leaders. Constructive criticism is welcome but not baseless allegations. His writings and analysis should be on par with those of an academician.
Lastly, this letter contains my personal opinion and should not in any way be associated with the party.
