‘KIT SIANG, GUAN ENG RULE PARTY BY FEAR’
No space for dissenting views in party, says ex-vice chairman
FERNANDO FONG AND BALVIN KAUR PETALING JAYA news@nst.com.my
THE mass resignations of DAP members revealed the party’s “dictatorial leadership”, former party vice-chairman Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim said.
Tunku Aziz said the incident was among symptoms of deepseated structural and leadership issues, that had been put under focus following a loss of confidence in the leadership of DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang, who is said to be “ruling” the party, and his son, secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.
“Kit Siang rules the party as though it is his kingdom, and its purpose is to promote his and his family’s self-serving political ambitions. Those who agree with him and follow his instructions move up the party ranks.
“Those who don’t are sacked or forced to resign,” he said during a press conference yesterday.
Relating his experience in the party, Tunku Aziz said DAP’s top management had kept dissent at bay.
“There is no space for dissenting views in the party. Anyone foolish enough to ignore this lives to pay a heavy price. That is how the two Lims have maintained their stranglehold on the party, which is to rule by fear.
“However, with the resignations, this no longer seems to be working in their favour.”
He said Kit Siang’s “longest one-man show in politics” would lead to the departure of more party members.
Recently, 182 party members in Malacca resigned following the resignations of Kota
Melaka member of parliament Sim Tong Him, Bachang assemblyman Lim Jak Wong, Kesidang assemblyman Chin Choon Seong and Duyong assemblyman Goh Leong San.
All have cited loss of confidence in the party’s leadership, and DAP’s collusion with former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.
He said the situation revealed gross doubts on the policies adopted by Kit Siang.
“In fact, I think the party will falter in the next general election. The disgruntlement is nothing new, but they had tolerated it in the past for the sake of unity.
“But they’ve had enough of the ‘democracy’ championed by Kit Siang, which is a misnomer.”
In George Town, Parti Cinta Malaysia vice-president Datuk Huan Cheng Guan labelled Kit Siang as a “hypocrite” for going against Pas’s move to empower syariah law, when it had defended the Islamic party’s intention when they were members of the Pakatan Rakyat pact.
Huan said DAP had even signed an agreement with Pas to recognise the latter’s right to achieve its agenda.
“I remember (DAP organising secretary and) Seremban member of parliament Anthony Loke, who had, in a ceramah, told the Chinese that they had nothing to fear about hudud.
“However, today, DAP made a U-turn and claimed that Pas’s objectives contravene the Federal Constitution.”
Kit Siang and Guan Eng had, in the past, denied treating DAP as their kingdom and insisted they remain consistent in freeing Malaysia from corruption.
They had vowed to prove that the Pakatan government was people-centric and upheld its principles of integrity, justice, freedom and democracy.