Dear friends, I have organised two thanksgiving dinners in both Seputeh constituency and Kinrara Constituency. Each dinner was attended by about thousand people. It was very encouraging to see the crowd, the election fever was not over yet. Many people are very encouraged to see the changes in political scenario resulted by their votes on 8th March 2008.
For those who have helped me and who were unable to attend our thanksgiving dinner and for those whom I forgot to extend invitation, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to you all. Thanks for all your kind support to the DAP.
Sri Petaling (5 April 2008)
From second left is Tony Pua (MP for PJ Utara), Ean Yong Hian Wah (ADUN for Seri Kembangan), Teo Nie Ching (MP for Serdang) and me. The two gentlemen besides us were our strong supporters.
People were very attentive to listen to our speeches
I presented my service team members on stage.
I gave away my election banners/buntings to supporters on that night, and I put my signatures on the buntings.
Ean Yong Hian Wah, Tony Pua, Teo Nie Ching, me and Lim Lip Eng.
Group photo of wakil rakyat and our Seputeh members.
Kinrara (11 April 2008)
Gobind’s family and me
Dear Teresa,
from the look of these photos of thanksgiving dinner, I can understand why some Malays think DAP is a Chinese party – because it looks like it is! Gobinder/Karpal does not a multi-racial party make. Fail lah DAP in projecting a multi-racial image.
well Mr Banjaran.
Maybe i can offer to explain…
1. I was far away that time. If I was near and not too bz, i would have invited myself, put myself in photo with Teresa, and boy, my face would have made the dinner multiracial… ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
2. Jokes asides, no malays want to join DAP before because the UMNOputras have been brainwashing them for 50 years that UMNO is what make them TUANs, so nothing left for DAP to call up for members except the chinese.
Whereas in Sabah, Lots of KDMs have stood on the party’s ticket and nearly won. In the GE12, they lost by a slim margin because of postal votes and the phantom voters.
Only after GE12 did DAP managed to secure its first CM. So in Penang should be the firt state where DAP must cultivate its multiracial image. If they dont do it, then anything may happen in GE13.
period
Dear Sabahfan,
I agree to some extent. But my point to Teresa is the locale of dinner – Chinese food in Chinese setting. Was it halal? And the posters – huge Chinese lettering – no Malay and no Tamil words. How to attract Malays like that? I hope my feedback is taken constructively as I do hope DAP can be more multi-racial. I am Chinese by the`way.
Banjaran…
U could be right.. but sometimes as i seen in parties, so much hassles for halal food for a few. And when i go to moslem parties, they never ever supply non halal food for me. Convenience for the majority must be the reason for the choice of restorant
I agree with the letterings, emphasis should be made on banners that can be read by all Malaysians for the image of the party.
and as i said in second non-joke part of my postings, the drive for multiracialism in DAP should start in Penang where a CM is in better position to push for this image, unless of course DAP top leadership is satisfied with their present supporters.
But to ensure that Lim has a second term in Penang, then multiracial push is a must, otherwise the UMNOputra will exploit that in GE13
I hope that Teresa and supporters do consider…
cheers…
Eh? I thought only my first postings will be checked for moderation.. why only now the above postings be moderated while the rest was not???
I am disappointed that you guys(teresa kok,tony pua) did not inform anyone about the dinner on their blogs . i wanted to attend the dinner but im not informed 🙁 i read tonypua’s and teresakok’s site daily …and only realize the dinner is over .. y did not post in advance????
I am also disappointed, YB, how come I was not informed?
I have to agree with banjaran. DAP is a political party and by the meaning of a political party, DAP needs to do some PR work. Getting Malay supporters is a requirement in Malaysian political scene, like it or not.
On the other hand, when UMNO or PAS organise a function, do we criticise them for being insensitive to Hindus and Buddhist for serving beef? Or should they at least have a “non-muslim” corner (rather than calling them “not-halal” of “haram corner”, that’s politics / semantics again, no?) where non-muslims can take the food that appeal to them then sit and eat together with eveyone.
The above imaginery scenario….can it happen? It has happen before as I can imagine a Malay chap eating his Big Mac in front of his Hindu friend in MacDonald’s who is having a fillet o’fish.
We Malaysians are a bit too sticky with little things like this and we end up missing the BIG BOAT.
At the same token, would Malay chaps like to approach the blog of the DAP YBs, fire hard questions at them and decide whether to join them?
Would the DAP grassroots able to welcome them as one of their own, change party functions to halal settings? It takes both side to move towards each other to reach centre ground.
Ok, chaps. Those who called me, and will be calling me racist, I positive racism whereby we emphasize our diversity as strength, accommmodate each others’ lifestyle just like siblings accommodate each others whims and fancises, and we should learn to LAUGH about ourselves and carry on living productively & happily.
After a few minutes, I thought all bashing and no due praise is unfair.
To be fair, there is no lavish waste of funds and the area is predominantly Chinese so the thanks giving ceremony is catering to the majority – an easy thing to do. There are also Indians around so actually there was a “2/3 ajority”
looking at the participants, they are having a great time and it warms my heart to see Mister Karpal getting the respect he deserves and able to see his son inheritng his prowes.
if a non-halal section is opened up, would muslims be happy to attend?
I think that the main reason why so few Malays joined the DAP is that UMNO has been promising them heaven and earth.
They, especially those living in the rural areas, can only rely on the government as their main source of information and you can imagine the torrent of proganda that is being fed to them!
Even city folks who read mainly the so-called mainstream news media are similarly brain-washed!
I believe that the tide really begins to turn with the advent of blogging; a lot of enlightenment is probably due to them. That’s why the government has belatedly recognised the importance of blogs. And you can be sure they’ll do everything to counter them.
In addition, the ceramahs held by the opposition also helped to open the eyes of the Malays to the misdeeds of the UMNO/BN.
Perhaps after the easing of the Malay mindset, more of them will join the opposition. Redoubled efforts by the DAP to attract them will certainly help.
Tereas, I forgot to mention something.
You looked great in that pink cheongsam!
Another thing, you have attained the status of a film star with your autograph seekers to boot!
However, you are also a star with intellect.
Keep up the good work.
I believe that a lot of Malays out there are not swayed by the promises from UMNO. In fact, many of them are impressed by what DAP have been doing since it was founded. All it needs now is for DAP to have an aggressive recruitment exercise focus on bringing in more Malays into the party. There is a need to improve on the party’s image, its commitment, belief and so forth as well. With a bigger membership base that embraces all races and religions, DAP will certainly be much stronger and able to rise to the occassion. DAP must also change from within. The sooner the better.
Teresa, you have a number of marriage proposals coming your way as posted in malaysia-today.
I’m out of reckoning but for those who get disappointed with your luck with YB Kok, there is still YB Neo of Serdang &YB Elizabeth Wong.
Suddenly, the opposition looks very pleasing to the eyes in more ways than one.
damocles,
one more point to add on to your good analysis…..DAP has no resources to make way into Malay hinterland. The kampongs upstream. Perhaps Pakatan Rakyat should come up with a long term strategy for that. Getting their own newspaper is a good start.
Mr Lee and the rest.
Next time U in KK, observe we still have lots of shops offering both halal and non halal food, and sabahans can sit down in same table and eat their own choices of food.
Still got in KL meh?
Also in weddng receptions in sabah, both halal food and non halal food is available.
However, should any one tries to make a rule that ONLY halal food shall be serve, I can assure you, that guy will be IN BIG BIGGGG TROUBLE…. !!!
Temenggong, where marriage proposal?
search high and low for it, can u help?
maybe i join the queue tooo.. he he he he he he he
Granpa,
not in KL. it is very well seggregated. KK sounds much more mature to me.
I think there was a fella called Jan who proposed first in MT
DAP is not a racist infested party meh? tink again
UMNO is not a racist infested party meh? tink again
MIC is not a racist infested party meh? tink again
PAS is not a racist infested party meh? tink again
PKR, PRM, the parties from Sabah & Srwk i forgot la. Who can say they hv equal dstribution of frens from diff races?? nobody except me (the truth nothing but the truth) la. (MOST) of my chinese frens dont like M & I, (MOST) of my Malay frens dont like C & I. (MOST) of my Indian frens dont like C & M. The day we can call ourself as truly BANGSA MALAYSIA will never happen!!! la. face reality guys N gals.
if you know a problem, solve it. otherwise it will fester overtime.
back in the 1950’s there was genuine friendship accross Malaysia and if we adopt a “face reality attitude”, things won’t improve. We do not have a Kosovo, Serbia-Bosnia like conflict in Malaysia.
in the Selangor state assembly, notice the Chinese assemblymen (YB Kok was 1) proposed and seconded the nomination of the Malay deputy speaker while the Malay assemblymen did likewise for YB Teng as the speaker.
we have to address the racial tension created over decades of political divide and rule, no longer a monopoly that we can accuse the British Colonists solely practise. If South Africa can heal the wounds of Apartheid, why not we Malaysians who suffered a great deal less.
This defeatist and acceptance attitude could spell the end for Malaysia as hungrier, poorer nations are raising.
“We do not have a Kosovo, Serbia-Bosnia like conflict in Malaysia”
I meant
“We do not want to have a Kosovo, Serbia-Bosnia like conflict in Malaysia”