Liew Chin Tong

COMMENT | If what they say is true – there is no such thing as bad publicity – maybe the DAP is doing a hell of a job, positioning itself as the rational alternative to the MCA. But if it’s not true, then what in god’s green earth is the DAP’s strategy with all these nonsensical attacks against the MCA and Chinese sacred cows?

Most of it seems to be emanating from Johor DAP chief Liew Chin Tong, who just makes a bad situation worse whenever he pipes up about issues that have no relevance to how Johoreans have suffered the past couple of years. These fights, centred on the Chinese community, are merely reinforcing certain stereotypes about the DAP - that the MCA does not have to deal with - when it comes to dealing with Malay power structures.

First, the normally rational DAP national publicity secretary Tony Pua lashes out at Chinese educationalists which earned a soft reprimand from party veteran Lim Kit Siang. Now, Chin Tong talks about how MCA candidates “are unable to speak the national language fluently without reading from a script”.

Does speaking Malay mean you have better multicultural credentials?

I can name many Malaysians who speak poor Malay but over the years have done more for the Malay community and the cause of multiculturalism than a dozen political operatives who speak Malay (without reading from a script) and merely showboat in Parliament and state assemblies.

Meanwhile, Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidate Shazani A Hamid is using her Mandarin skills to connect with Chinese-speaking voters and stay on message – at least she has one.

She wants to help develop education institutions in Ayer Itam and make the town an important stopover point in Johor. You should check out her videos and most of these videos are not confrontational.

Former PKR operative turned PN candidate Dr Sahruddin Jamal also talks about serving the Chinese and Indian communities through his clinics and how he hoped this would gain their support.

In other words, both candidates from the Malay uber alles coalition are doing a better job contextualising their positions with regards to non-Malays than the supposed multiracial DAP, which seems to be trying to fight with the MCA for Chinese votes.

Why bring up race?

And, really, Chin Tong is heartbroken that his friend Nur Jazlan was going to speak on some online forum titled “Cina DAP tipu Cina Johor” (DAP Chinese lying to Johor Chinese)?

Chin Tong does not realise the hypocrisy about being offended about something like this?

The base strategy of the DAP and indeed Pakatan Harapan has always been “Melayu Umno tipu semua Melayu “. This has been the political strategy – and a winning one at that – for a swing in the Malay community, especially in the urban areas.

So why object to such a strategy now, especially when all the DAP seems to be doing is playing the same game of fighting with the MCA for Chinese votes?

And so what if Nur Jazlan is half Chinese? Why even bring up this point if race is not an issue? Honestly, what are the issues facing Johoreans that the DAP thinks are important?

Mundane, quality of life issues

Read Zan Azlee's insightful piece about how all politics is local. Zan, who is helping Layang-Layang candidate Maszlee Malik, gives us a snapshot of how national issues are not as important or immediate as mundane issues – some opposition supporters dismissively refer to them as “longkang issues” – to constituencies facing numerous challenges.

“What they do care about is the fact that their water supply won’t be disrupted anymore due to pollution when it rains since the landfill in the area has been closed down.

“They want to know if their cost of living will be reduced and the quality of life will improve with more job opportunities.

“They also care about affordable housing and educational opportunities for their children,” Zan writes.

Or read the piece by Hariz Mohd about the expectations of Felda residents. An excerpt:

“Some Felda settlers whom Malaysiakini spoke to weren’t necessarily supporters of ex-prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, who is accused of being a key figure in the 1MDB scandal, but were more concerned about their quality of life in the Felda settlements.”

How the expectations of Felda residents clash with the preoccupations and snobbery of the chattering classes is why there is a disconnect between urban voters and rural voters and the failed Harapan strategies of gaining populist appeal.

Honestly, a political party like PSM understands this voter base better than anyone and these are the kinds of issues Harapan and the DAP should be forming a message around.

With the Malay political establishment at war, Umno is having to defend its Felda vote banks from other Malay power structures.

The fact that Umno strategists think Harapan is not their main threat should tell us something about how Harapan messaging has been in this fight.

Shape a populist narrative

Now I am sure there are DAP political operatives who are working the ground and hustling but it is Chin Tong’s job, or I assume it is, to put a spotlight on their endeavours instead of using his bully pulpit to throw red meat at the online base.

In fact, Chin Tong should be attempting to shape a populist narrative that would unite the already fractured Harapan instead of reminding everyone of the racial politics between non-Malay power structures and the Malay hegemons they attach themselves to.

Indeed, if there is a debate, the DAP should be taking on all comers because they are supposed to represent everyone regardless of race and not get dragged down by these stupid debates with the MCA.

The longer the DAP defines the MCA as their main adversary, the longer the stereotype of the DAP as a Chinese party fighting for Chinese votes continues.

And I can understand that. Who knows how the Johor state elections will play out, but if you are going to lose, at least, lose with non-Malay support still behind Harapan through the DAP.

It is a question of political survival and has nothing to do with the existential threat of a returning Najib. However, all this creates apathy.

As ex-PM Muhyiddin Yassin has noted, low voter turnout will only benefit BN.