Does DAP CEC meet essential criteria?
Doubts have arisen on whether the appointment of short-lived human resources minister V Sivakumar and Buntong assemblyperson M Thulasi to the DAP CEC would boost the support of the Indian community.
To me, such a narrowing down of these two DAP leaders to ethnic support reinforces the ethnocentric dimension of Malaysian politics, which seems to be clueless about what exactly is needed to inspire a real change in the country.
The incorporation of these personalities and all those who are in the CEC should be assessed not on whether they are capable of representing a certain community, but whether they are passionately able to address issues related to social justice that transcend sectarian feelings.
Here are the following criteria that transcend the sentiments of race and religion, which are also relevant to other political parties that would want to promote the common good.
People-centric leaders
Are the people in the CEC people-centred and articulate the real needs of the people, or are they obedient to the dictates of certain leaders in the party?
Are they able to practise the freedom of conscience on critical issues affecting the life and liberty of Malaysians? Are they able to work with political opponents within and outside the party for the good of the people?
Grassroots work
Are the people in the CEC genuinely involved in grassroots issues related to services and urban poverty by engaging local and state governments?
Is there a push for local government polls, or are they finally accepting the irrationality of ethno-religious justification for denying local government elections?
Advocates for sustainability
Are CEC leadership and members doing what is right to protect the environment and pursuing sustainable practices?
What is happening in the reclamation exercises in Penang reveals the kind of leaders who adhere to neo-liberal economic ideology that is antithetical to sustainable development goals.
Advocates for workforce's poorest
Are the CEC members involved in advocating labour issues and reforms? It is rare to see DAP leaders speaking out for contract workers or migrant workers who provide services to the government and private sectors, who are not adequately represented when dealing with labour issues.
Advocates for constitutional rights
Are the CEC leadership and members articulate the objective truths related to the rule of law, human rights and the independence of the judiciary? We can't hear much from the DAP since they became part of the coalition government.
Advocates for global justice
Are CEC members genuinely concerned about issues such as the Palestinian cause, global hegemony by superpowers, and those that affect the family of nations?
I have yet to see intellectuals in the DAP who are able to articulate on global issues that have implications for developing countries, including Malaysia.
It is time for the public to assess the DAP on these criteria instead of narrowing down issues to ethnic sentiments, which merely reinforces ethnocentric politics in the country.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malaysiakini
34 minutes ago
- Malaysiakini
Native land and soul: When will justice take root in S'wak?
LETTER | For too long, the soil of Sarawak has been rich with contradiction. It is a land of rivers and rainforests, of ancestral memory and spiritual depth - but also a land of encroachment, exploitation, and bureaucratic cruelty. Nowhere is this contradiction more painfully felt than in the long and unresolved battle over native customary rights (NCR) land. Recently, PKR deputy president Nurul Izzah Anwar added her voice to what Sarawak's indigenous communities have been crying out for, not for years, but for generations. In calling for an immediate halt to new licences issued over disputed lands and the expedition of surveys and legal ownership titles, she speaks not merely as a politician, but as a Malaysian with a conscience. Her words cut to the heart of the matter: 'Land is more than just a place to live. It is part of their soul and identity.' That soul, however, has been eroded, piece by piece, hectare by hectare - while court victories ring hollow, and elderly men and women die waiting for land titles that never come. A decade on the bureaucratic treadmill Take the case of Mary anak Nakai (not her real name), someone personally known to me. For the past 10 years, this middle-aged Bidayuh woman has made the long trek from her kampung to various Land and Survey Department offices - from Kota Samarahan to the towering Menara Pelita in Petra Jaya. She carries a neatly bound folder of letters, old maps, and hope - hoping that 'this visit' will be the one where someone finally tells her, 'Yes, puan, your land grant is approved.' But each visit ends with the same bureaucratic riddle. One officer tells her the file is 'under review.' Another says it's 'with the legal unit.' The next time, the officer in charge is 'at a meeting.' If not in a meeting, then 'on duty outside.' Sometimes, there's the cryptic 'we cannot locate your file'. And the cycle goes on. Nakai now refers to the actual decision-maker as 'the ghost officer' or 'pegawai hantu' - ever-present in theory, but never seen in reality. Only when Nakai arrives, the 'hantu officer' (ghost officer) has a meeting and cannot be disturbed. Her story, as she told me, is tragically familiar. Across Sarawak, countless NCR land applicants like Nakai have spent decades navigating red tape, only to die landless on land their families have lived on for generations. Forgotten rights, forgotten lives Names like Harrison Ngau and the late Bill Kayong are now etched into the legacy of resistance. Kayong, shot dead in broad daylight in 2016, remains a martyr for the cause of NCR land. His killers may have faced justice, but the system that emboldens land grabs has yet to be dismantled. Their struggle was not merely about court documents; it was about honouring the covenant between a people and their land. It was about saying: 'We were here, we are here, and we have the right to stay.' Numbers mask a deeper injustice Deputy Premier Awang Tengah Ali Hasan recently reported that over 1.2 million hectares have been surveyed under the New NCR Land Survey Initiative since 2010, with nearly 936,000ha gazetted as Bumiputera Communal Reserves under Section 6 of the Sarawak Land Code. On paper, these numbers seem promising. But statistics don't show the heartbreak. They don't reflect the speed at which bulldozers have cleared sacred forests while villagers wait years just to have their land claims recognised. They don't show the faces of the elderly being told - yet again - to 'come back next week.' And communal reserves are not the same as individual titles. Section 6 gives temporary security. Section 18 gives rightful ownership. That distinction means the world to the people living on that land. When law lags behind morality NCR is not merely a matter of administrative delay - it is a moral emergency. While state officials and companies profit from the spoils, communities are left navigating a legal labyrinth that too often leads nowhere. And though courts have recognised the legitimacy of native land based on 'adat' (customary law), enforcement remains inconsistent, and victories too often remain confined to courtroom transcripts, not real-life outcomes. It is one of the cruellest ironies of our modern federation: the Iban, Bidayuh, Orang Ulu, and Penan are treated as if they are squatters on their own ancestral land. Generations have been born and buried on these lands. Sacred grounds, burial sites, fruit groves, rivers, and hunting trails - all mapped in memory and tradition - have long constituted a living system of land tenure that predates any Sarawak Land Code. Yet, despite decades of promises and court affirmations, the land continues to be leased out to palm oil giants and timber tycoons with impunity. Often, this happens without consultation, without consent, and without even the courtesy of compensation. The result is not just legal ambiguity; it is cultural violence. A politician who knows That's what makes Nurul Izzah's intervention especially significant. Here is a politician from Putrajaya - far from the hills and rivers of Sarawak - who not only understands the law, but 'feels' the issue. Her call to action reflects rare empathy and clarity – as if she's telling Sarawakians, 'I hear you'. She cited heroes like Ngau and Kayong and reminded the nation that 'land is not just for living, but for worship, culture, and the soul.' To many Sarawakians, that sounds like the first time someone from Peninsular Malaysia truly gets it. Let the land be theirs again If the Sarawak government is sincere in its intentions, it must treat land rights not as a political concession but as a fundamental right. Expedite the surveys. Issue the titles. Halt all new licences on disputed land. Recognise the sacred and sovereign connection between a people and their land. To delay is to dispossess. To ignore is to erase. And to exploit is to colonise. Until then, people like Mary anak Nakai will keep catching buses, making appointments, and circling the same bureaucratic merry-go-round, no music, no horses, no joy - just hope, prayer, and the aching wait for someone to finally say: 'This land is your land.' The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
New Straits Times
43 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
NST Leader: Ensure Gig Workers Bill delivers
THERE is finally some clarity about the long awaited Gig Workers Bill after Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said it is expected to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat in August or September. But several concerns about this future economy have to be sorted out. Chiefly, the bill has to balance worker protection with business viability and sustainability. The bill is designed to safeguard the gig economy and create a social protection framework for the 1.12 million Malaysians working in the sector. The bill is also meant to provide equitable protection that builds a fair, inclusive and resilient future. Zahid has touted the bill as a world's first and that the International Labour Organisation was keen to learn from Malaysia's experience. However, despite its importance, industry players are adopting a "wait-and-see" attitude. The gig economy is a major economic contributor and a source of employment to youngsters. A key question about the bill is on whether it addresses career advancements. The bill also has place in the Education Ministry's effort to stem Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia absenteeism, as more students are forfeiting the examination to become riders and drivers for quick and easy money. The Department of Statistics Malaysia conducted a study in 2022 and found that the majority of p-hailing riders are aged between 15 and 30 and earn about RM2,500 a month. Major industry players maintained that the bill offered little clarity because no regulatory impact assessment has been done. Over the years of deliberations, the industry hasn't seen dispute resolution, deactivation compensation and wage requirement resolved. It's clear that more industry consultations and inclusivity is needed in the bill's drafting, especially discussions with platforms, gig workers, academics and experts. There are other worries: will there be spikes in operational costs, more entry barriers, disruptions in business models and higher consumer costs? Gig worker associations are uneasy with excessive regulations that may stifle innovation, discourage platform investment, reduce job opportunities and harm economic benefits. They are asking: Will the bill clearly define gig workers, provide practical mechanisms for dispute resolution, income protection and social security? This is why there have been multiple postponements to the bill's tabling. Nevertheless, the bill is a global pioneering legal framework for gig workers, espousing a fair, inclusive and resilient future economy.
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
India backs Malaysia's ASEAN vision, strengthens Myanmar ties
KUALA LUMPUR: India has pledged strong backing for Malaysia's role as ASEAN Chair this year, endorsing its emphasis on regional stability and growth. High Commissioner of India to Malaysia, B.N. Reddy, affirmed the alignment with Malaysia's ASEAN priorities during an interview with Bernama TV. Reddy stated, 'India is keen to align with the core themes of Malaysia's ASEAN Chairmanship - 'Inclusivity and Sustainability', as well as ASEAN Centrality.' He further stressed India's interest in boosting connectivity with ASEAN via Myanmar, adding, 'We would like to see a prosperous and stable Myanmar, which is where our alignment comes with ASEAN.' The diplomat noted that ASEAN-India relations have progressed to a comprehensive strategic partnership. India's delegation will participate in the upcoming ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM) in Kuala Lumpur with a constructive approach. Pabitra Margherita, India's Minister of State for External Affairs, is set to attend, outlining India's regional agenda ahead of the ASEAN-India Summit in October. On bilateral relations, Reddy highlighted Malaysia's growing global influence and regional responsibilities. He pointed to the deep cultural and economic links, with Malaysia home to the largest Indian diaspora outside the U.S., exceeding two million people. 'A partner country like Malaysia is very significant for us. We call Malaysia part of our extended neighbourhood,' he said.
