It is now crystal clear why during the recent Umno General Assembly, why the DAP was attacked viciously by the rabid mongrels of Umno. Despite the blackout by the BN controlled MSM, what's really happening on the ground is that there has been a sizable shift in Malay Muslim support away from Umno to DAP.
Gone were the days when Umno could scare the Malays that the DAP is a Chinese Chauvinist party. One only needs to look across the Causeway in Singapore to see how Malay Muslims have benefited from the meritocracy system practiced by the Peoples Action Party (PAP). For those who are unaware, the DAP we know of today was then known as PAP. PAP in Malaysia became DAP after Singapore separated from Malaysia in 1965. The ideologies of both DAP and PAP are almost similar.
By looking at Singapore, the Malay Muslims realized that the squeaky clean image of both DAP and PAP can bring them prosperity and peace unlike what Umno which is now seen as corrupt and a liability to the Malay Muslims. The success of the DAP led Penang Pakatan Rakyat Government has shown that the DAP can be trusted to look after the needs of the Malay Muslims compared to BN/Umno. In fact, though secular and socialist, the DAP appears to be more Islamic in its principles and practices than UMNO could ever be.
DAP appears to be gaining ground in seemingly uncharted territory: the Malays.
Despite having been around since the mid-60s, the party has been perceived as a predominantly Chinese-based party, causing many Malays to shy away from it.
This perception, however, according to DAP members, is changing, albeit slowly but surely.
Party member Zairil Khir Johari said that the DAP was only recently able to tap into the Malay grassroots after the 2008 general election.
“Before 2008, the Malay support for DAP was almost non-existent,” he said, adding that the alternative political choice was usually the Islamic-based PAS.
“If you joined the opposition, if you had problems with the government, the natural appeal would be PAS. They have (access to) the suraus and the mosques, which DAP does not have.
“Umno would have its ketua kampung (village chief), while PAS has the religious (advantage), but if the DAP wanted to open a branch in a village, it would be so artificial,” said Zairil, who is also DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng’s political secretary.
DAP’s lack of a large Malay support base for the past 40 years, Zairil claimed, was partially because it was an “urban-based” party; it was more attractive to the city-living Chinese.
The government’s control of the mainstream media did not help the party either.
Malay branches in Penang
According to Zairil, the Umno-linked Malay-based media groups such as Utusan Malaysia blacks out anything DAP-related, unless it was negative.
These factors, according to Zairil, made sure that even urban Malays were kept unaware of the DAP’s handiwork.
However, the party’s entry into the Pakatan Rakyat coalition, coupled with access to the alternative media, appears to have helped its position, Zairil claimed.
He said that the party has been able to open a few Malay branches in Penang, with forays into Perlis as well.
Though acknowledging that its Pakatan allies – PKR and PAS – were there to attract Malay voters, DAP president Karpal Singh said that the party needed to make its own effort in reaching out to the Malays.
“PKR and PAS are there, but we shouldn’t rely on them. We have to go ahead with our own Malay support. Recently, there have been some Malays who have joined us.”
“They’re not shying away from the DAP… but they’re not coming in at the extent that we’d want,” he said.
Karpal said that the DAP had seen some Malay representation over the years, such as through former Bayan Baru MP Ahmad Nor and current Senator Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim.
Even so, he said these efforts into the Malay heartland were not enough.
Inroads into Dayak land
Yet, the Bukit Gelugor MP said that Malaysian politics was “taking a different form”, and used the non-Muslim PAS Supporter’s Club (PSC) as an example.
In 2004, PAS created the non-Muslim wing in order to attract non-Muslims into their fold.
The PSC boasts a membership of more than 20,000 Chinese, Indians and other races, although some reports have claimed that progress there has been slow.
Malays, according to Bandar Kuching MP Chong Chieng Jen, were not the only Bumiputeras the DAP was attracting in recent years.
He said that the party was “making inroads” into Sarawak’s Dayak community – a longtime Barisan Nasional stronghold – through the Dayak Consultative Council.
“We set up the council a month or two after the April 2011 Sarawak election, and it has helped us form policies taking care of the Dayaks, and within the Sarawak alternative budget,” he said.
DAP coverage in the alternative media, Chong added, also helped the party to move into previously untapped political areas.
“Until the last 10 years, we did not have the alternative media. But now, more Malays can read on the Internet (about us), especially the youngsters.”
“With more and more of them using the Internet, it shouldn’t be a problem, as long as they know about our policies and aren’t getting it from the Umno-controlled media,” he said.
Gone were the days when Umno could scare the Malays that the DAP is a Chinese Chauvinist party. One only needs to look across the Causeway in Singapore to see how Malay Muslims have benefited from the meritocracy system practiced by the Peoples Action Party (PAP). For those who are unaware, the DAP we know of today was then known as PAP. PAP in Malaysia became DAP after Singapore separated from Malaysia in 1965. The ideologies of both DAP and PAP are almost similar.
By looking at Singapore, the Malay Muslims realized that the squeaky clean image of both DAP and PAP can bring them prosperity and peace unlike what Umno which is now seen as corrupt and a liability to the Malay Muslims. The success of the DAP led Penang Pakatan Rakyat Government has shown that the DAP can be trusted to look after the needs of the Malay Muslims compared to BN/Umno. In fact, though secular and socialist, the DAP appears to be more Islamic in its principles and practices than UMNO could ever be.
DAP appears to be gaining ground in seemingly uncharted territory: the Malays.
Despite having been around since the mid-60s, the party has been perceived as a predominantly Chinese-based party, causing many Malays to shy away from it.
This perception, however, according to DAP members, is changing, albeit slowly but surely.
Party member Zairil Khir Johari said that the DAP was only recently able to tap into the Malay grassroots after the 2008 general election.
“Before 2008, the Malay support for DAP was almost non-existent,” he said, adding that the alternative political choice was usually the Islamic-based PAS.
“If you joined the opposition, if you had problems with the government, the natural appeal would be PAS. They have (access to) the suraus and the mosques, which DAP does not have.
“Umno would have its ketua kampung (village chief), while PAS has the religious (advantage), but if the DAP wanted to open a branch in a village, it would be so artificial,” said Zairil, who is also DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng’s political secretary.
DAP’s lack of a large Malay support base for the past 40 years, Zairil claimed, was partially because it was an “urban-based” party; it was more attractive to the city-living Chinese.
The government’s control of the mainstream media did not help the party either.
Malay branches in Penang
According to Zairil, the Umno-linked Malay-based media groups such as Utusan Malaysia blacks out anything DAP-related, unless it was negative.
These factors, according to Zairil, made sure that even urban Malays were kept unaware of the DAP’s handiwork.
However, the party’s entry into the Pakatan Rakyat coalition, coupled with access to the alternative media, appears to have helped its position, Zairil claimed.
He said that the party has been able to open a few Malay branches in Penang, with forays into Perlis as well.
Though acknowledging that its Pakatan allies – PKR and PAS – were there to attract Malay voters, DAP president Karpal Singh said that the party needed to make its own effort in reaching out to the Malays.
“PKR and PAS are there, but we shouldn’t rely on them. We have to go ahead with our own Malay support. Recently, there have been some Malays who have joined us.”
“They’re not shying away from the DAP… but they’re not coming in at the extent that we’d want,” he said.
Karpal said that the DAP had seen some Malay representation over the years, such as through former Bayan Baru MP Ahmad Nor and current Senator Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim.
Even so, he said these efforts into the Malay heartland were not enough.
Inroads into Dayak land
Yet, the Bukit Gelugor MP said that Malaysian politics was “taking a different form”, and used the non-Muslim PAS Supporter’s Club (PSC) as an example.
In 2004, PAS created the non-Muslim wing in order to attract non-Muslims into their fold.
The PSC boasts a membership of more than 20,000 Chinese, Indians and other races, although some reports have claimed that progress there has been slow.
Malays, according to Bandar Kuching MP Chong Chieng Jen, were not the only Bumiputeras the DAP was attracting in recent years.
He said that the party was “making inroads” into Sarawak’s Dayak community – a longtime Barisan Nasional stronghold – through the Dayak Consultative Council.
“We set up the council a month or two after the April 2011 Sarawak election, and it has helped us form policies taking care of the Dayaks, and within the Sarawak alternative budget,” he said.
DAP coverage in the alternative media, Chong added, also helped the party to move into previously untapped political areas.
“Until the last 10 years, we did not have the alternative media. But now, more Malays can read on the Internet (about us), especially the youngsters.”
“With more and more of them using the Internet, it shouldn’t be a problem, as long as they know about our policies and aren’t getting it from the Umno-controlled media,” he said.
1 comment:
That Zairil Khir guy is so happy malays is supporting DAP.....Remember, Your Dad abolishes Jawi writing nad a whole generation is handicapped by that stupid action...and I bet you cant even read the Quran expertly...but what the heck...as .long as I cant further sesatkan the Muslim under DAP....Carry on Zairil, GOD waits for you and your Dad to behanded to Mali, the hell keeper...repent NOW
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