YOURSAY | ‘To the anti-Lims: Be careful of what you wish’

YOURSAY | ‘A potential radical change in leadership and direction may bring the downfall of the party.’

Cross-generation anti-Lims sentiment rising within DAP

Ferdtan: Let's go beyond personalities. DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang, party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, veteran Liew Ah Kiew, and Hew Kuan Yau, the former DAP member famously known as "superman", have in their own ways contributed to the DAP making it a structurally strong party.

From hindsight, the same thing cannot be said of former DAP member Wee Choo Keong - he “betrayed” his principles by supporting (and getting a government position) with then prime minister Najib Abdul Razak as an “independent” elected representative.

It is an undeniable fact that the elder Lim is the one who built the party to what it is today.

We are standing at the crossroads of political uncertainties with the likes of the Covid-19 pandemic and our nation facing economic recession, and worse of all, the increased tempo of the ruling government playing to the gallery (competing among themselves) with racial and religious sentiments to be at pole position before the looming general election.

To the anti-Lims: Be careful of what you wish for. DAP may fall into a trap whereby the potential radical change in leadership and direction may bring the downfall of the party.

DAP is divided broadly into two factions - one is English-educated and the other, Chinese-oriented.

The Lims over the years have tried to make the party more acceptable (as in multi-racial) to soothe the fear of the majority Malays and not to be seen as anti-Islam/Malay as spun by Umno, through a number of concessions. This may be seen as a weakness by the other camp.

Have the Lims succeeded? The answer is no - but it has to start somewhere.

If the other camp reverses the moderate multi-racial policy of the Lims, it may lead the DAP to be a hardcore Chinese-based party. Popular with the Chinese - yes; but it would be at a price of the party remaining as the opposition.

Thus, both sides are needed for the party to move forward. Both Lims are still needed to play a role, at least to guide the changing of the guards.

The Wakandan: It is the same dilemma. A leader with strong personality strengthens the party single-handedly so much so the party would be identified with him. This is quite common.

However, the party can eventually become cultish, especially if the leader stays for too long as people see the leader and the party as one and the same thing.

It also stifles a pragmatic succession plan and therefore creates a vacuum in leadership. Some leaders purposely want it this way, for example former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, so that he can stay for as long as possible.

PKR and DAP are in a similar situation. Each party is identified with its leader respectively. Members accept this and even call for their children to be the successors, for example, Nurul Izzah Anwar in PKR. Guan Eng has already taken over in DAP. Lee Hsien Loong took over from his father, Lee Kuan Yew of PAP in Singapore.

Strong charismatic leaders are difficult to come by. They happen once in a while. That’s why they are so hard to replace. Sometimes, a party would fade into oblivion once the leader passes away, resigns or is toppled and the party becomes weak.

So, it is a dilemma. Democracy calls for changes in leadership because as a leader becomes too powerful, it can lead to dictatorship. On the other hand, to topple a strong leader would weaken the party.

Greg Lopez: The better political parties have a succession plan. These succession plans could be developed in various ways: elite compromise, senior leadership group selection or through outright competition.

We have, however, seen how destructive it can be when there is no succession plan. The BN component parties, none with a succession plan, have created nothing more than roving bandits as its leaders, and the political parties have become nothing more than vehicles for patronage.

PKR has also been a disaster because of the lack of a succession plan. PAS has had mixed results, but the lack of a succession plan continues to haunt the party.

The DAP should demonstrate that it is capable of managing itself and ensure a succession plan that has the support of all its stakeholders. A political party that can manage itself well certainly has the right to manage the nation.

Anonymous_15897: I agree that the Lims need to step aside and hand the baton to worthy successors. That said, I feel one reason why previous challengers and critics of the Lims have failed is because these challengers and critics are up to the mark.

Liew is a simple party cadre that has had no impact and done nothing of note. Wee was a self-serving prima donna who can’t get along with anyone. Hew the Superman is a loudmouth chauvinist. Did any of them make any impact after leaving DAP and stepping out of the Lims’ shadow? None.

Say what you want about the Lims, but they have support and why? Because they have sacrificed. They went to jail. They are persecuted non-stop, even to this day. They speak up. That is why they have support. That is why they are hard to remove.

But let go the Lims we must. It is time. The 30 years of the Lims is more than enough. Gobind Singh Deo is a good candidate. The younger generation, especially women leaders such as Hannah Yeoh, are also good candidates to step up. DAP should also include more non-Chinese in the leadership.

Constitutional Supremacy: At the moment, Guan Eng is irreplaceable in DAP. The party grassroots know how much he has sacrificed for DAP and the nation. Again and again, the authorities had tried to break him but he resolutely stood his ground for truth and justice.

The authorities also know that Guan Eng cannot be bought to cross over and hence it has to be other means to undermine him.

For that matter, other parties like Umno, PAS, Bersatu, PKR, etc, have older leaders than Guan Eng. He has a lot to contribute to the party and nation yet.

Sungai Pelek assemblyperson Ronnie Liu and DAP veteran Tan Cheng Kim are the two main rebels who have been trying to undermine Guan Eng. These two cannot win in central elections.

These two rebels, together with another small group, will campaign against Guan Eng and will not vote for him. Still, Guan Eng will win hands down but may not get top votes because of this faction against him.

Knucklehead: In my opinion, the Lims have to step aside and give way to younger members, become mentors, play an advisory role but please don't do what former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his son are doing. You will quickly lose the respect earned in all these years.

Guan Eng is no statesman, he engages his mouth before using his brain and says the wrong things but waste time later trying to justify his comments. It is a clear sign of an impatient politician.

The one thing that is unforgivable for Guan Eng, right or wrong, out of all the people to buy a house from, he had to buy from someone he knows and had dealings with even if it was a legitimate deal. It is stupid for a politician to do such a thing. Respect lost, period.

Southpaw: I thought in a democratic party like DAP, anyone and everyone has the right to take part in the party election to jostle for the leadership role? So, what is the issue?

If Guan Eng wishes to be the chairperson after relinquishing his current secretary-general role, with enough support, he will be the party chair - and that is supposedly undemocratic?

Teng could not survive any longer in DAP because he doesn't have enough support or else he would have been the secretary-general. So, it becomes undemocratic simply because some fringe leaders cannot be in leadership, which they think they deserve?

And Superman Hew? Give me a break... ask him to run for an election to see if he would ever get elected.

IndigoSwan6963: DAP is a democratic party. Whoever performs is good, and going by merits, they can take on the Lims anytime and I believe the Lims are more than happy to endorse those who can outperform them.

Yes, no one is indispensable, but do that with good intentions and that is to improve and energise the party to achieve higher deliverance to the country and community at large. Trying to change leadership just to be rid of capable leaders, and out of a selfish agenda, will only destroy the party.

Everyone has a platform to voice their opinions, to challenge and to prove their leadership qualities.

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