Stop unhealthy debate over party's direction, Loke tells DAP members
DAP organising secretary Anthony Loke has described the intense debate between factions in the run-up to party elections as "unhealthy".
However, he expressed confidence the party will not split even as members and leaders are labelling each other Hua Sha (Chinese chauvinist) and Ying Sha (English chauvinist), with the further tagging of "elite" and "grassroots" factions.
The "Blue Ocean vs Red Ocean" debate has been around since the 13th general election when DAP attempted to make inroads into the Malay electorate and...
DAP organising secretary Anthony Loke has described the intense debate between factions in the run-up to party elections as "unhealthy".
However, he expressed confidence the party will not split even as members and leaders are labelling each other Hua Sha (Chinese chauvinist) and Ying Sha (English chauvinist), with the further tagging of "elite" and "grassroots" factions.
The "Blue Ocean vs Red Ocean" debate has been around since the 13th general election when DAP attempted to attract the Malay electorate and shed its Chinese-dominated party image.
The issue came to light again after Sungai Pelek assemblyperson Ronnie Liu recently criticised the leadership, saying the party should not dilute its Chinese-ness just to attract Malay support.
Loke (above) said this debate is not something new as there have been Chinese-educated as well as English-educated leaders in the party since the beginning.
"I am confident that, at the end of the day (after party polls), everyone will still rally behind the party," he said in an interview with Malaysiakini and KiniTV last Thursday.
"The debate on the direction of DAP is small and concerns only party members. What is more important is the direction of the country, what type of country and society you want to live in. DAP is just one of the factors contributing to that and it must be a positive factor.
"The diversity in DAP is something we must celebrate instead of seeing it as a weakness. While we are pluralistic in our thinking, we have never said that we must give up our cultural roots," he added.
As such, Loke said he had never questioned the course of the party or the ideology it adopts.
Having received his education at a national school, the 44-year-old stressed that he was neither Hua Sha nor Ying Sha.
"I studied at a national school, went to a university which used Bahasa Malaysia as the medium of instruction... probably I am a Ma Sha (Malaysian chauvinist)," he said jokingly.
"Similarly, it is hard to determine whether the party is only made up of (pure) Hua Sha and Ying Sha. This is unfair to the party structure. (Like me), members come from various educational backgrounds, which made it hard to put labels on them."
Loke also pointed out that the party has 60,000 (30 percent) non-Chinese members.
For the record, the DAP has over 200,000 members, with 70 percent of them being Chinese. Indians make up to 20 percent and Malays less than 10 percent.
"To me, the debate on the so-called Hua Sha and Ying Sha is not a healthy one. DAP cannot allow any chauvinistic thinking in the party, no matter what kind of chauvinism," Loke said.
'Accusation based on hearsay'
He also disagreed with Liu, who is DAP central committee member, for stating that ordinary members are treated like cannon fodder by party elites after the breakthrough general election in 2008.
"I think Liu made the accusation based on hearsay. Is it backed with facts and clear examples? Who are the elites? Those who (rose) after 2008 included Tony Pua, Hannah Yeoh and Teo Nie Ching...
"Take Pua, for example. Is it fair to say he claimed credit without any real work? This is not fair. He has been in the party since 2008 and everyone knows he is a competent MP when it comes to digging and articulating about financial scandals.
"I am not denying the contributions of the grassroots, but I think it is unfair to label leaders with such a sweeping statement. We must appreciate the role of everyone and I think everyone has a role to play.
"I cannot stop them from talking and debating the issue. If DAP were to issue a gag order, then (someone) would declare that democracy in the party is dead.
"This is not a zero-sum game... It is important for the leadership to carry on and carry through everyone. Let them see what is the larger narrative and larger direction for the party," he said.
Loke also claimed that Liu had raised the issue without offering a solution.
"Anyone can bring up an issue and it is easy to be a hero in the party. But what is your solution? What is your vision and approach to bring the party forward? As far as I am concerned, I only heard about complaints and problems.
"For Liu, he has been given the opportunity. After 2008, he was made an executive councillor in Selangor. He is part of the Selangor leadership. His track record has to be scrutinised during his tenure as an exco. It is unfair to pin-point to other people without looking at yourself and your own weaknesses," he said.
Asked if Liu was still needed in DAP, Loke simply replied: "It's up to the delegates. It's not for me to say whether he is needed."
Liu has been embroiled in a war of words with senior leaders, with Iskandar Puteri MP Lim Kit Siang repeating the potential of external threats to the DAP amid the ongoing party elections.
For the stand that he took, Liu was roundly slammed by party leaders such as Yeoh and Pua.
DAP has embraced diversity
However, Loke does not foresee such debates ending in the near future.
"It is our role to bridge the gap on the differences," he said, stressing the importance to look at the matter from one another's perspective.
Loke said such "excitement" was also caused by the forthcoming party elections and the power transition as Lim Guan Eng is in his final term as the secretary-general, a post he held since 2004.
While stressing that DAP has embraced diversity, Loke said the party would not ignore concerns raised by the Chinese community.
"There is a need to balance (the situation). It is a challenge the new leadership must face," he said.
Loke said DAP, which has been criticised for having fewer Malay members, needed time to groom Malay leaders and candidates.
"In politics, changes take time. You cannot say make DAP a Malay party, put up Malay candidates and Malay leaders. Politics does not work that way.
"The core leadership, whether you like it or not, will still have the same faces - leaders who have built themselves up over the years," he added.
Loke named Syahredzan Johan, political secretary to Kit Siang, as one of the potential leaders expected to be elected into the central executive committee (CEC) next month.
"We have identified new leaders. Hopefully, he (Shahredzan) can be part of the team. He joined a few years ago, but I think his background, credibility and his ability will be a good profile for the party."
Replying to an allegation, Loke denied that DAP contested mainly in Chinese majority seats.
"A lot of people missed the point. Out of 42 parliamentary seats DAP won in 2018, about 20 of them are Chinese-majority seats. Some are mixed seats with Malay-majority. They include Bangi, Seremban, Tenom and Mas Gading, a Sarawak bumiputera-majority seat," he said.
Although Seremban has become a Malay-majority seat, Loke said he will not run away from his constituency.
"I will defend Seremban if I am fielded there again," he added.
The withdrawal of Bersatu from the Pakatan Harapan coalition in February 2020 has created room for DAP to contest in more seats, including the ones with the Malay majority.
"We are still on negotiation stage on seat allocation (with Harapan allies). So I don't want to reveal the situation now," Loke said.
PART 1: Loke willing to be DAP sec-gen if given mandate
This interview was jointly conducted by Kow Gah Chie, Lee Way Loon, Ng Xiang Yi, Mandy Leong and Robin Koh.
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