KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 — A Johor DAP leader has urged the party’s top leadership to come up with clearer policies for its members concerning them voicing out their sentiments which may not necessarily be the position of the party.
Mahdzir Ibrahim from DAP’s Johor state committee was referring to the reaction of several DAP members supporting a controversial comic book labelled as pro-DAP, saying this could be misconstrued by the public as the party’s official stand on the matter.
“Therefore, I wish to suggest for the DAP National leadership prepare a new policy that is clear and precise so incidents of such do not repeat, nor associated as a general party sentiment to the point it damages the party’s image.
“One drop of indigo could tarnish the image of the whole organisation,” he wrote in a statement today.
Mahdzir suggested that DAP should introduce these clear guidelines that are in line with the party’s stand in respecting the freedom of the press, to curb abuses of creative freedom that can end up inciting the sentiments of the public, something not beneficial to the party or the public.
“Our party and its elected representatives have a more pressing duty in the government to champion issues of importance to the people.
“The party does not need to be dragged into the narrow political agendas of certain quarters within the party,” read Mahdzir’s statement.
This comes on the back of a comic book entitled “Inisiatif Jalur Dan Jalan — Meraih Manfaat Bersama” that stirred controversy over its supposedly pro-DAP contents, after it was said to have been introduced into local public schools.
Education Minister Maszlee Malik has since ordered for the comics not to be added into public schools’ library almanac, following reports of the comic book portraying Malaysia’s Malay Muslim community and the country’s reverence towards China in the wrong light.
Following the exclusion by Maszlee, 43 DAP grassroots members launched an attack towards the federal minister, accusing him of showing leadership traits similar to that of former Umno ministers.
The attack then triggered a response from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s Youth’s chief of communications Ulya Aqamah Husamudin, who called for DAP leaders to take disciplinary action against their grassroots members for attacking their own federal ministers.
Additionally, PAS leader Datuk Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali At-Takiri had said today the entire DAP should be disciplined for their actions, and that ejecting the party from Pakatan Harapan was the only solution that would not lead Malaysia to destruction.
