DAP’s Lims are as democratic as North Korea’s Kims
By Dr Kamarul Zaman Yusoff, Tanjak
DAP is only democratic in name. Where the right of its party people to dissent as in any vibrant entity that honestly believes in democracy?
Calling itself the ‘Democratic’ Action Party does not mitigate the undemocratic way in which the party is being managed.
↓ Dear Leader comrade Kim Jong Un of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
Consequences of the Lims’ Jom Ubah
DAP does not grant its ordinary members the lofty democratic rights reflective of social democratic values that the party is allegedly fighting for.
Hence not many were surprised when a DAP parliamentarian and three state assemblymen in Malacca recently chose to quit the party.
The three are Kota Melaka MP Sim Tong Him, Duyong Adun Goh Leong San who is also former Malacca DAP chairman and his fellow YBs Lim Jak Wong (Bachang) and Chin Choong Seong (Kesidang).
I had commented earlier when Sim and Goh were suspended that it shows how DAP is, in fact, not really democratic.
The duo’s suspension for a year beginning February 2016 was a clear indication of the undemocratic bent in DAP, considering that they were cold-storaged on the pretext of disparaging the party image.
↓ DAP did not nominate independent-minded Teng Chang Khim for a second term as Selangor Speaker
“Off with his head!”
If we were to study the history of internal crises in the DAP, we would see that there exists an inclination to alienate any critical party leaders not aligned with its top leadership.
Those whose views fail to fall in lockstep with that of control freaks Lim Kit Siang and his son Guan Eng are most vulnerable to being sidelined.
Thus the action taken against Malacca’s Sim and Goh was not an anomaly. The same had happened before in other states, even quite recently.
In 2013, Kedah DAP chairman Lee Guan Aik was removed in favour of Zairil Khir Johari. In 2015, Dr Boo Cheng Hau resigned as Johor opposition leader after being ousted from his party state chairmanship by Liew Chin Tong.
(Note: Zairil started his high profile career as Guan Eng’s political secretary while Liew previously served as Teresa Kok’s pol-sec.)