KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 ― The unceremonious break-up of Pakatan Rakyat (PR) will not throw the DAP off the path of multiracialism, Lim Kit Siang has insisted amid talk that the split would cause his party to become narrow-minded or more Chinese-centric.
Instead, the veteran DAP politician said his party will continue championing the needs of all Malaysian races as it has been doing since its formation nearly half a century ago in 1966.
“DAP had never aspired to be a Chinese or non-Malay party,” he said according to a copy of his speech from a Klang function last night.
“Right from the beginning… DAP had pledged itself to pursue a Malaysian Dream, not a Chinese Dream, an Indian Dream or a Malay Dream,” he said.
The Gelang Patah MP said this is the same reason why the DAP was the first political party to be pan-Malaysian, having established branches in both Sabah and Sarawak before others did.
He acknowledged that the DAP has always been forced to fight off labels tagging its leaders as anti-Malay and anti-Islam, largely due to his Chinese-dominated membership, but said the battle would not affect his party’s struggle to stay multiracial and multireligious.
In the post-PR scenario, Lim said the DAP will double up efforts to become a fully Malaysian party by strengthening its Malay, Dayak and Kadazandusun membership.
“This is why we have Impian Sabah, Impian Sarawak, Impian Kelantan and we have recently announced Impian Kedah/Perlis,” he said, referring to initiatives by the DAP in states across the country.
Again making his often-repeated declaration that he is Malaysian first and Chinese second, Lim then said that no single race or one political party can govern the country.
“It is through inter-racial, inter-religious and inter-party co-operation ― as equals and not between superior and subordinates ― that Malaysia can become a successful model of plural society which is progressive and prosperous not only to the world but also to the Middle East,” he said.
PR was thrown into uncertainty recently after member party PAS decided during its June 6 muktamar to sever ties with the DAP, its partner in the fledgling opposition pact.
The move triggered leaders from the DAP, including Lim, to declare the loose alliance formally dead.
PKR, in an attempt to ensure the fallout between its allies does not cause the fall of the two governments that PR rules ― Selangor and Penang ― has since said that the spirit of the pact lives on although it no longer functions formally.
PAS, on the other hand, has continued to insist that PR still lives on.
There are now reported plans in the pipeline for the formation of another similar alliance but one with a soon-to-be formed party to replace PAS.
– See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/dap-dreams-in-malaysian-not-chinese-indian-or-malay-kit-siang-says-after-pa#sthash.cVTIyqZF.dpuf