I am writing to clarify the statements made by DAP Johor state chairman, Dr Boo Cheng Hau made at a press conference yesterday with regards to the “Malaysian Dream” movement launched by DAP Member of Parliament for Gelang Patah, Lim Kit Siang. In the press reports today, it was quoted that Dr Boo saying that the “Malaysian Dream” movement did not have the approval of the party’s Central Executive Committee” and that “certain figures were given unchecked powers to raise funds with party resources and do activities usurping the powers of party organs from the CEC, State Committees, PLCs to the level of branches”.
I would like to express my utter shock and complete disappointment at the most irresponsible and unfounded statement made by Dr Boo with regards to the “Malaysian Dream” movement.
As recognised by Dr Boo himself, the “Malaysian Dream” was first raised on the election campaign trail by our then candidate of Gelang Patah, Lim Kit Siang, who was facing a do-or-die battle against the UMNO heavy-machinery which was placing the Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Othman to contest in the seat. Lim was facing a massive onslaught of racist attacks by the mainstream media and UMNO leaders that he was trying to preach to the Chinese to “hate the Malays”.
In response Lim had rallied for a “Malaysian Dream” to dispel such lies and malicious allegationns, so that “it could create greater political awareness and unity among Johor voters, whether Malays, Chinese, Indians or Orang Asli, to cause them to stand up for the Malaysian Dream, an objective which the Johor Malay leader Dato Onn Jaafar had also fought for as far back as 62 years ago in 1951 when he suggested that UMNO open its door to non-Malays and UMNO change its name from United Malays National Organisation to United Malayans National Organisation”.
Lim has stated that that he “would consider it as a worthwhile patriotic contribution to the Malaysian Dream shared by all patriotic Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or region, down the decades, whether in Malaysia or in the world Malaysian Diaspora.”
How is such a “Malaysian Dream” campaign in the Gelang Patah contest, a vision which Lim shared with all Malaysians to bring about unity and harmony, to fight against racism and extremism, an abuse of power as alleged by Dr Boo? It beggars belief that sharing this “dream” with Malaysians would require official “CEC approval”, a move which Dr Boo would surely disapprove for it would mean dogmatic control by the central leadership over its leaders.
In fact, the fears raised by Lim have only proven true with UMNO victory at the last general election where we see top UMNO leaders preaching outright racism in their speeches. Datuk Seri Ali Rustam blamed the Chinese Malaysians for every ill in the country, and preached hate by spreading malicious lies about the DAP and the Chinese. Defence Minsiter, Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi similarly even racialised crime, claiming that the Malays are victims of Chinese mafia and Indian gangsters to justify his “shoot on sight” policies.
The “Malaysian Dream” movement isn’t just all rhetoric, and it has spawned the “Impian Sarawak” campaign which was launched to call on Malaysians to be the “Agents of Change” and to bridge the divide between East and West Malaysia. While the “Malaysian Dream” launched in Gelang Patah did not require any major mobilisation of party resources, the “Impian Sarawak” campaign will require the participation of all major states to attract volunteers, raise funds and take an active part in bringing change to Sarawak rural interiors via small projects.
For this massive campaign, DAP Sarawak Chairman, Chong Chieng Jen and myself, have at the CEC Meeting on 16 July 2013 made the relevant Impian Sarawak proposals, an offshoot of the “Malaysian Dream” movement, which were endorsed unanimously. Dr Boo, who is also an elected CEC member was present at the meeting and there was no concern, reservation or objection raised with regards to this campaign, including the suggestion that DAP Johor should likewise hold a fund-raising campaign to support the movement.
The “Malaysian Dream” movement, with its secondary projects, “Impian Sarawak” and a subsequent “Impian Sabah”, are campaigns which are supported by Malaysians of all walks of life – all races, religions and geography. The mere thought that such a movement, which does not benefit any single individual in the party, constitutes an abuse of power by Lim or any other leader, is just illogical and mind-boggling. In fact, during the DAP Gelang Patah election thanksgiving dinner in May 2013, Dr Boo himself together with other state leaders jointly launched the “movement” on stage.
The DAP leadership is sincere in wanting to resolve the differences which Dr Boo may have with the other party leaders and seek to have this matter resolved internally. We are unpleasantly surprised that Dr Boo’s disapproval of the “Malaysian Dream” was raised for the very first time via his press conference yesterday, but was never ever brought up during our many CEC meetings since May 2013.
Our members and supporters are disappointed by our leaders expressing their disagreements in public, especially without prior attempts at resolving these issues internally. They are right to be angry and upset with the party leaders, especially since we have only recently overcome the onslaught by the Registrar of Societies to destabilise and even de-register our party. Our members and supporters expect better of our leaders.
The party leaders view Dr Boo’s grievances seriously and want to take immediate steps to resolve this matter. We will be calling for a meeting of all state leaders to meet after tonight’s fund-raising dinner by DAP Simpang Renggam in Johor where both Lim and Dr Boo will be present. We hope that with the attendance of all state elected representatives and leaders, as well as the participation of Lim and Dr Boo, any misunderstandings or differences can be communicated in an open and frank fashion and this matter can be resolved in an amicable fashion.
To quote Dr Boo, “to ensure DAP’s political survival, its leaders should look into ways to improve the people’s welfare instead of being involved in infighting and power struggles” and we hope that the meeting tonight will unite the leaders in our campaign to bring justice for the rakyat and a better Malaysia.