Chow warns party against complacency
Comfortable political environment can lure DAP into complacency and arrogance, says its state chief Chow Kon Yeow.
Athi Shankar, FMT
Penang DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow has warned his party and Pakatan Rakyat of facing future intra-party political problems if they were to take for granted the massive mandate given by people in the last general election.
Chow warned DAP and Pakatan leaders and members against becoming complacent and resting on their laurels.
He said the DAP and Pakatan currently enjoyed strong people support. But he cautioned that the comfortable political environment can lure the party into complacency and arrogance.
He warned that the absence and incompetence of political foes to pose strong challenge to Pakatan may trigger inter-party problems among DAP, PKR and PAS, and even intra-party problems within each party.
He indeed reminded that the 2013 general election was actually an opportunity for a new beginning to capture Putrajaya.
“It’s an opportunity to bring real change to Malaysia,” said Chow in his chairman speech at the Penang DAP ordinary convention in George Town City Hotel here today.
The convention theme is “Staying Ahead Embracing the Future.”
Present were party national chairman Karpal Singh, secretary-general and Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, state PKS leaders Abdul Malik Kassim and Law Choo Kiang.
DAP national organising secretary Anthony Loke also made a cameo appearance at the convention before leaving for Perlis.
Before he began his speech, Chow called on convention delegates to applaud and thank Penangites for giving a massive mandate to DAP and Pakatan once again in the last polls.
“With this second mandate, the people’s expectations have soared even higher and we need to live up to these expectations,” said Chow.
DAP announced that 689 delegates had registered as party voters at the convention.
Chow also fired a broadside at DAP main rivals, MCA and Gerakan, of being unable to come back to Penang mainstream politics despite change their leaderships.
He said the parties defeat was due to strong public sentiments against their brand of politics.
However, he reminded Umno remained the force to be reckoned in Penang politics despite it was not able to lead Barisan Nasional back to state power.
Umno won 10 state and three parliamentary seats in Penang in last May polls.
