‘Chinese will lose out from DAP’s battles’

Analyst: Party’s tactic to wipe out rival leaders is too risky

KUALA LUMPUR: The Chinese community stands to lose the most in DAP’s strategy to wipe out the Chinese leaders of their political rivals, says prominent political analyst Rita Sim.

“It is a highrisk strategy as DAP is assuming it still has the Chinese support from the ‘tsunami’ it created in the past two general elections,” said Sim of the Centre for Strategic Engagement (Cense).

“It seems as if it wants to wipe out all the component party heads, especially those from MCA.

“In the Chinese community, especially the older voters, we are hearing that they are not happy with this approach.

“It’s also very funny that DAP is doing this. In its earlier years, it believed there should always be check and balances.

“So now that it is picking up this strategy, where is the check and balance?” she asked.

Sim said no one would be able to secondguess what the voters would do and questioned whether DAP could beat the incumbents.

“What happens if it doesn’t win the seats? Its capable parliamentarians would then be out,” she added.

Separately, MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong criticised DAP for being “consistently inconsistent” in its stance.

He said on Jan 31, the party’s Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching issued a statement, carried by most of the Chinese dailies, saying DAP was on a mission to eliminate MCA.

On Feb 13, Dr Wee noted, DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang said there was no such mission and that it was only a selffulfilling prophecy.

“Three days ago when it announced the candidate for the Bakri parliamentary seat, ( DAP secretarygeneral) Lim Guan Eng said the party’s mission was to eliminate Barisan.

“It would send its socalled strongmen to contest in MCA and Gerakan strongholds, especially those held by top leaders.

“What does it mean? Do you think a constituency can choose two leaders? I give you halfterm and then I take halfterm?” said Dr Wee, adding that DAP was not contesting a single seat against Umno and all the 35 seats it had since announced pitted its candidates against MCA and Gerakan.

Penang Gerakan chairman Teng Chang Yeow, speaking at a party function recently, had also criticised DAP for its game plan, which would rob the Chinese community of talented leaders.

He said by politically wiping out Chinese leaders from MCA and Gerakan, DAP would indirectly weaken the community.

In Penang, state MCA liaison committee chairman Datuk Tan Teik Cheng said the recent “sacrifice MCA” remark by state DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow was akin to sacrificing the interests of the Chinese.

“This again proves DAP’s attempt to lure voters into believing the party can defend the rakyat, especially the Chinese.

“But in reality, it is challenging the rakyat to defend their own rights and interests. It cannot be denied that MCA represents the Chinese community,” he said in a press statement yesterday.