OCTOBER 26 — I am not a voter in Klang. Whoever DAP chooses as parliamentary candidate for Klang, whether it is incumbent Charles Santiago or someone else aspiring to be MP, even whether DAP can retain Klang, I am not affected where constituency service in Klang is concerned.
But I am a DAP voter. I have voted for DAP in the past elections. I want DAP to be in the Federal government again. I want quality MPs representing DAP in Parliament.
Most fundamentally, I want a democratic and progressive Malaysia with meritocracy, inclusiveness and accountability. The saga in Klang makes me wonder if DAP, especially DAP Selangor, still believes in these values that I hold dear.
Meritocracy
In my simple mind, the fundamental measures of merit in electoral politics are performance and popularity. It makes sense to retire incumbents who are not performing or not popular. Deadwood must give way to younger talents.
But is Charles Santiago one such deadwood who won Klang for three terms, each time with a bigger majority — 17,701 (2008), 24,685 (2013) and then 78,773 (2018)?
Or did he change to be a deadwood, for whatever reason, after 2018 that DAP needs to retain Klang by having a stronger candidate?
If this is true, then the Klang voters must have been cast under some magic spell. From the media reports and social media discussions in the past few weeks, we know these shows of support: 21 Chinese associations wanting Santiago to stay, a 21-year-old young voter starting an online petition calling DAP to retain Santiago, Malay community leaders saying that they have not seen a more approachable and helpful MP than Santiago, and now 12 Indian NGOs backing Santiago.
What kind of deadwood would get such cross ethnic-support? DAP proposed first a Chinese replacement (a three-term ADUN from Seri Kembangan) and then an Indian replacement (an Exco from neighbouring Taman Kemuning) but both were rejected by the Chinese and the Indians.
There is apparently bad news about Santiago too. A survey funded by some community activists in Klang revealed that even if DAP fields Santiago, only 42 per cent would support him, while 43 per cent remains undecided. But if DAP fields either the Chinese or Indian replacement, DAP’s support would drop to 30 per cent and the undecided would up to 55 per cent.
So, the bad news is more about DAP. DAP is no longer the sure-win brand in Klang. Why then did DAP — apparently this is a strong demand by Selangor DAP — insist that Santiago be dropped? Where is meritocracy?
Inclusiveness
To address the concern that Indian representation would be reduced if Santiago is dropped, DAP Selangor comes up with this marvellous solution by replacing Santiago with another Indian. Could they be thinking: “Well, after all, all Indians are the same, so what is the fuss now?”
Lest the DAP forgets, DAP positions itself as a party for inclusiveness representing all Malaysians. It must not have the BN mentality that their top leaders pick their favourite followers to “represent” the communities.
It is because Malaysians reject such token representation that DAP gets to trounce MIC and MCA again and again. DAP must never grow too confident and arrogant to think that they can do an Umno and go unpunished by voters wanting real representation.
The US has elected Kamala Harris, a woman of Indian and African origin to become its vice president and yesterday Rishi Sunak, a person of African-Indian origin, was appointed as the prime minister of the United Kingdom.
Harris and Sunak are not the token Indian or minority representatives as both were picked through a transparent process.
Instead, they get to represent Americans and British across ethnic backgrounds. The US Democrats’ presidential primary and the British Conservatives’ leader election are open affairs, unlike how Umno picks their Indian and Chinese partners who cannot build a cross-ethnic base and hence become dependent on their big brother.
The Indian community is well educated and can think independently much more than their grandparents’ and parents’ generations. We do not just want “an Indian” or “any Indian.”
We want competent Indians who can represent and win the support from all Malaysians.
If DAP’s top leadership just cannot understand this, they should not be surprised if the backlash goes beyond Klang or even Selangor to reach Penang, Negri Sembilan, Perak and Johor. It is pointless to promise again a New Malaysia when meritocracy and inclusiveness cannot be sustained in even Klang.
Accountability
A dear friend of mine cautions me that DAP may have other reasons for dropping Santiago and replacing him with another politician. She thinks I have jumped to the conclusion too fast.
Fair enough, every party has its rules that maybe ordinary voters like us don’t know about.
Yes, we should give the benefit of the doubt to the party that their decision to drop Santiago is done in good faith based on some rigorous criteria and assessment, and nothing to do with factionalism or cronyism.
If such is the case, DAP should just make public their criteria. What is there to hide if you have a defendable decision?
If Santiago’ fault is not flaunting the DAP logo in every action he takes and hence seen as a maverick, then tell the public.
If Santiago must give way because he has served three terms, then please explain why the three-term Seri Kembangan ADUN Ean Yong Hian Wah is not put on the retirement track but instead promoted to be an MP. What is his merit?
Also, please tell us the generational renewal plan for more senior MPs — Tan Kok Wai (8th term), Fong Kui Lun (7th term), Lim Guan Eng (6th term), Teresa Kok (5th term) and Chong Chieng Jen (4th term).
There is no democracy without accountability. Lest anyone forgets, when DAP National Chairman Lim Guan Eng led the Penang state government for two terms, his slogan was “Competence, Accountability, Transparency” (CAT). Mr Lim, do you and your party still believe in CAT?
It is 2022 now
This is 2022. The age that party supporters would back every decision made by party leaders is over.
I am very happy to read that the 12 Indian NGOs — I-25 — are inviting Gobind Singh Deo to meet them in a Deepavali feast to explain DAP’s decision.
The late Karpal Singh Deo had been a true believer of democratic principles like meritocracy, inclusiveness and accountability.
My dear friend and I are hopeful that Gobind will accept this invitation and their discussion outcome would convince DAP supporters like us that his late father’s party remains as steadfast in its ideals.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
