From infernalramblings.com cometh the following worth a 3sen look:
Merging Parti Keadilan Rakyat and the Democratic Action Party
A reader has suggested that the opposition's fundamental problems lie on the part of the DAP, and suggests merging the two main multiracial opposition parties to resolve some longstanding problems. Is this a good idea? It wouldn't hurt to try.
Written by johnleemk on 12:00:03 pm Mar 5, 2007.
ylchong writes in to discuss Tony Pua's decision to join the Democratic Action Party:
Wrt to your Post, john, and freelunch's comment, may I add some random thoughts,
I'd not waste time, sdr John, starting a new political party; it's akin to re-inventing the wheel.
I had urged Young&Articulates to support PKR for the simple reason it has gone on a platform for CHANGE (its potential leader Anwar Ibrahim spawned the Reformasi movement from 1998...), strarting with the bold fundamental shift from the National Economic Policy to a new policy above race/ethnicity but anchored mainly on Economics/Needs.
As for DAP, i had enough "insider" knowledge to come to a conclusion that its leaders are not interested in bringing about change, which to me is the anchor for paradigm shift to the desiderata for alternative government in place of BN. The past and present DAP leaders were fighting internal battles to maintain little fiefdoms with each chieftain ruling his/her turf jealously guarded by FACTIONS or Neponistc Cliques, so much so some smarties have coined a term for DAP as LKS & family and KS and family Sdn Bhd. (You ask what LKS and KS stand for? Hey,, get outa of here/hear!)
I would say a good leader would be able to subsume party's interests for national ones -- if an ideal situation if the MERGER of DAP and PKR, under former DPM as president because of his vast experience and bridges built while in goverrnment and international networking.
Can the two parties transcend shortsighted benefits to sacrifice for the longterm gains for NegaraKu?
I hope Tony Pua will come to this realisation soon enough and start working towards that objective of merger. Otherwise, DAP will forever remain an Opposition party and some of its nepotic leaders would be happy as LittLe Nap[oleons, no much different from BN's Zakaria Deros-asses and Yusof Saids.(ends YLChong's comment at johnleemk's)
John LeeMK continues:
The trouble with Keadilan as I see it is that it is still tainted by so many things. Its association with PAS, its own internal politicking a la the DAP (to the point that some party members asked the Menteri Besar of Kelantan to intervene), and latent fears that Anwar may not have completely shed and repudiated his past as an Islamic and Malay ultra firebrand.
In some email exchanges with other young people recently, I noticed a comment made in passing about starting a new multiracial centrist party. Despite its brevity, it picked up a lot of comments from people involved in the exchange. Clearly, there is a demand for something else in the political equation.
At the same time, it's very clear that the political field is too crowded at present for a new party to have anything more than a slim chance of success. I believe that a new party would probably be better able to accomplish our goals for change than any of the existing ones, but since it's not feasible, we must make do with what we have, and thus rely on PKR and the DAP as our vehicles for change, flawed as they are.
The little Napoleons are a problem that plague all parties, except for maybe PAS and PKR. However, PKR is showing signs of moving toward such politicking. I suppose some modicum of such dirtiness is inevitable, but such turf feuds represent a very prominent characteristic of the opposition parties here, unlike in other countries where such feuds would normally be kept quiet and under wraps.
I agree a merger between the DAP and PKR would be ideal. Both parties have very similar goals and constitutions, and it would be a major boost for them to combine their Chinese and Malay memberships into one unified body.
The trouble, of course, is politics. Nobody can see Lim Kit Siang or Lim Guan Eng willing to play second fiddle to Anwar, and nobody can see such a marriage of convenience working out in the long run as long as these personalities stay on the scene. Still, you never know — the UMNO-MCA Alliance was denounced as a marriage of convenience, and look how long it's lasted.
I truly hope Tony Pua is a first step on the long and arduous road to change for the DAP. If the DAP wants to change the country, it must first change itself. It needs a strong technocrat base of leaders, and a more multiethnic membership. Only by discarding its traditional image as a stiff and stuffy Chinese party with a bunch of dinosaurs at the helm can the DAP move forward and fight for a better Malaysia.
DESI: I hope the Young&Articulates, and also NotSoYoungBUTArticulates would lend their honest and no-holds-barred thoughts to this subject of national importance. It's no use ranting and shooting at Pak Lah and his not-performing-up-to-par Government, and yet, complainants don't pool their ideas for an Alternative.
At the end of each General Elections, there is the common chorus that the electorates are stupid in electing the lack-lustre BN, again and again. Hey, you desrve the government you've put into office with your sacred Vote.
If you ain't going to do your individual part, don't blame the Others. Blame the stars, and the neighbour's dog -- they don't argue back, then sit tied for the next five years.
Other reltaed Comments I am reproducing here (wuthout expressed, only implied permit, of the host!):
Thoughts? Comments? Discuss this and other ramblings at the forums.
Related comments from forum thread "The Malaysian Opposition is Useless":
johnleemk
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Posted at 11:20:19 am Aug 28, 2005
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Let's look at the opposition parties we have, shall we?
Keadilan was created to serve as an outlet for Anwar's numerous
political supporters to call for his release. Once Anwar's release was
secured, the party lost its way. They have no idea what to do next.
Much like most opposition parties, Keadilan was gestated with only the
purpose of opposing in mind. None of the major opposition parties have
any real plans to tackle the country's issues should they obtain
power. Their manifestos extend only as far as opposing the majority of
the policies the ruling party currently has in place.
Keadilan, much like the DAP, also compromised its values by joining
the Barisan Alternatif, which was lambasted by more than a few for
being built around Barisan Nasional's communalism (PAS/Keadilan for
the Malays, and DAP for the non-Malays). Joining hands with PAS, a
purely Malay party (at least in terms of membership) represents a
serious compromise of Keadilan's principles, if Keadilan is indeed
built on a foundation of multi-ethnic politics.
Let's not get confused: I believe it's long been overdue that we do
something about communal politics in Malaysia. However, I do not
believe it is right to expect the lame duck opposition to get started
on this. There is no strong leader among Keadilan or the DAP who can
build a solid platform with strong principles. All the current parties
have skeletons in their closets as well; the DAP is based on
Singapore's PAP, which isn't all that popular here; Keadilan was
designed to rescue Anwar, and that was all it was ever meant to be;
PAS has the whole Islamic state thing which isn't exactly desirable
among many voter; and the BN parties? It's needless to even list down
the stigma associated with BN.
However, hastily jumping from the frying pan into the fire isn't all
too desirable either. Let's not be rash; voting for a party without a
plan is just as bad, if not worse, than voting for a party consisting
of politicians who plan to steal, but also one or two who actually
have a plan once in a while. DAP and Keadilan should stop acting like
petty people with nothing better to do than criticise, and lay out a
clear roadmap for where they will lead this country if (and hopefully
when) they take power. They cannot expect to be opposition forever,
for as long as that is all they expect of themselves, that is all the
voters will ever expect of them.
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Last five replies:
johnleemk
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Posted at 10:28:14 am Feb 28, 2007
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Well, one could argue that nepotism almost literally runs in the blood for the DAP. The DAP is descended from the PAP - and guess who is the PAP's current leader?
I would not be comfortable with ousting the two Lims immediately - or at least doing so in a direct manner. Furthermore, I think Lim Guan Eng is a competent chap - I just don't know if he's the best guy to lead the opposition, which he almost certainly will end up as in the future unless PKR gets its act together.
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freelunch2020
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Posted at 3:21:39 pm Feb 28, 2007
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i am using this particular topic for any opposition-related articles :::::::::: the need to organise runs deep + strong.....a control freak in the making or already one -- me that is
well, back to nik's call to stop being "armchair critics". my automatic response is "hey bro, this is what democracy is all about. we are all critics expressing our views."
and i believe strongly this exchange of views etc between minds is the key behind creativity and growth. for a single mind can only draw on its own experience but with expression and interaction with other minds, we absorb and transmit memes that build into our subconscious and conscious eventually giving birth to new ideas -- creation
i said on xpyred:
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also, at the war crimes conference recently, a member of the floor asked a distinguished scientist and activist:”What can I do?” And he replied: “Do that which you do BEST. As each person is different. And it’s important to find out where you would ENJOY contributing as that’s where your best work lies.”
not everyone is a politician (defn: member of political party), ngo activist, demonstrator, etc. but in ENCOURAGING debate, everyone is participating in democracy.
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also, another skill that Malaysians need to learn is to accept or simply ignore criticism. if it's not valid = ignore + get on with life. valid = correct la. don't whole life defend, defend, obviously we feel strongly about the crticisms raised la. as politicians or wakil rakyat they should ACT on our GROUSES. in a way, address them. or at least pretend tto engage us.
in a way, my role that i see is a blogger la. i am not sure i want to participate in campaigning yet but may want to use the upcoming GE as a chance to find out more.
after today's FTA forum organised by the Socialist Party (unregistered), I feel that I am still a social democrat. Believe that the welfare of the less fortunate rakyat should be looked after and the means INSTITUTIONALISED. PKR is too ridden with internal politics la.
and it's indeed ironic that he quoted your wiki article. ke ke ke. btw, tks for all the good work on wiki which i use.
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johnleemk
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Posted at 11:23:44 am Mar 3, 2007
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As an aside, I too believe in some socialist-ish intervention to create a more just society and level the playing field. It's just that I don't think protectionism is the right way to fight injustice. It's a far too blunt tool - we have better ways to ameliorate the problems of poverty and unemployment.
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freelunch2020
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Posted at 12:59:25 pm Mar 5, 2007
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"Merging Parti Keadilan Rakyat and the Democratic Action Party"
hmmm i think desi and us will just have to agree to disagree.
i feel that perhaps turf wars exist in ALL PARTIES including PKR. as it is now as i've posted on my blog, it's Azmin vs Ezam + Syed Husin + Tian. and it's evident from a lot of events, if u become a 'regular' of sorts. u can kinda make out the factions.
re DAP internal politics. i've not met anyone or seen for myself so i am not inclined to say anything although LGE has gotten a lot of bad press but he was also the person who stood up for the 15-yr-old girl who was allegedly raped by none other than the chairman of GABEM, Tan Sri Rahim Thamby Chik. LGE's intervention cost him 18 months in jail and being stripped of his professional accountancy qualification.
so, john, i suggest we check out the ground and draw our own conclusions.
i guess everyone will just have to find the party that suits them. desi will continue to talk about anwar's magical powers while we will continue to point out his and his party's flaws.
but i do agree with desi that starting your own party is akin to reinventing the wheel as youth would need to learn from seniors. so being within an existing political party while forming a forward-thinking faction is the way most ppl does it -- even mahathir who was considered a reformist when in his early career.
also, a senior politician has advised me to join a party most suitable cos none will be perfect and form a base with like-minded people there.
i am really excited about this kabinet rakyat thing. at least it will show that we are not just talking about "brilliant ideas" but doing something.
much thanks to nat tan of bangkit who has joined PKR under Tian.
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johnleemk
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Posted at 4:08:16 am Mar 6, 2007
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The trouble with the opposition is that these turf wars are the main news about them. Of course, the MSM has every reason to play up these turf wars to make the opposition look bad, but even alternative media highlight these things a lot. In other countries with free presses, the media doesn't dig up much dirt on these turf feuds because these parties know how to keep these things quiet and focus on their bigger agenda.
It doesn't seem to be the same here. And as for Lim Guan Eng, I think few would question his motives. Like his father, he has gone to jail to stand up for what he believes is right. It's just that perhaps he, like his father, considers himself indispensable to the opposition/DAP. Politics should be about ideas, not people.
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Thank you
John LeeMK for allowing Desi special licence to Cut&Paste
though I did not apply for the AP!
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