Handling a self-inflicted crisis, DAP style

The new DAP logo, if Guan Eng gets his way

I wish I'd published this article earlier. It was in the mail last night but I did not get to read it as I was on the road to Pekan, where Najib Razak will submit his nomination papers tomorrow morning, as will all candidates who are hoping to contest in the May 5th general election, including our sulking friends from the DAP. I see the Rocket's flags and buntings still flying here in Kuantan. At the rate they were going I thought they would have taken all of them down by now. - Bru, eve of nominations day, 8.52pm

UMNO and DAP: the mature and the immature

 By Steve Roads

Recent political events bring into sharp focus the fundamental differences in crisis management between DAP and Umno.

When DAP faced a slight predicament, it resorted to shedding tears and being emotional.

When UMNO faced a major upheaval, it just went ahead and re-invented itself.

Therein lies the difference between political immaturity and political maturity.

The DAP drama began to unfold recently when the Registrar of Societies announced the non-recognition of the party elections held in December last year for positions in its Central Executive Committee due to some discrepancies.

Incensed, Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng told the media yesterday: “The DAP CEC in its meeting tonight decided that RoS must revoke its letter not recognising the office-bearers in the CEC by 3pm tomorrow on Friday.”

(That is already a contradiction. How can an unrecognised committee meet? Surely such a meeting is illegal, and therefore its demand cannot have legitimacy or clout).

DAP stalwart and Lim's father, Lim Kit Siang, was also there when Guan Eng spoke to the press. Kit Siang told the media: “I want to confess I shed tears.”

  

The younger Lim further confessed:“Many of our members shed tears. How do you explain to your voters?” DAP Chairman Karpal Singh also admitted to being emotional over the incident.

Compare DAP's crisis response to UMNO's crisis response.  UMNO faced a major challenge in 1987. In that year, the courts ruled that UMNO was an illegal organisation due to the existence of several unregistered branches. That was an offence under the Societies Act of 1966.

But UMNO leaders did not rave and rant about the court ruling. It did not hold a press conference and condemn the judge nor demand that the law be amended. They did bnot take to the streets.  Instead, under Tun Mahathir, a new party called UMNO BARU was registered. Over time, the BARU was dropped, and UMNO became whole again.

Apart from the differences in the approach of UMNO and DAP to challenges, let's look at the DAP 'grouse' more closely. Guan Eng said that in issuing the letter dated April 17, 2013, just two days before nomination day, the ROS intended to “kill off DAP’s electoral prospects" in the general election.

He added:"..This is completely disgraceful, (DAP supporters will ) show their anger at the ballot box. We want BN to feel the anger of not just our supporters, but also right-thinking Malaysians,” he said

Slow down, Guan Eng, not so fast. What did you say about right-thinking Malaysians? Perhaps you were referring to non-thinking Malaysians. 

Because all right-thinking Malaysians know that nobody is above the law. And that if the law is breached, the violator must either pay the penalty.

All right-thinking Malaysians know it is wrong to place one's own infractions before the feet of UMNO.

All right-thinking Malaysians know it is wrong to shoot from the hip. The complaints of wrongdoing did not come from outside but they all came from party members.  Are you saying, Guan Eng, that some party members are more equal than others? That ROS should ignore the complaints from some members and listen only to those who are close and dear to you?

It is clear Guan Eng, you are blinded by rage and arrogance. You have shown that you have little respect for the law of the land, even less respect for your party constitution and no respect at all for your ordinary members.

Surely they will show their anger at the ballot box--at your expense.