Despite pressure, Pakatan has to forge ahead down middle path, says Liew
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THE middle road of moderation in communal relations is the only way forward for Pakatan Harapan, despite demands to pull the coalition to the fringes, said one of its top strategists.
DAP’s Liew Chin Tong told The Malaysian Insight there were those within and without Pakatan who wanted it to pander to fringe demands in both Malay and non-Malay communities, but warned that such an approach would only doom both the coalition and the country.
“Pakatan must focus on the similarities between all Malaysians, especially on providing for their economic needs, such as good-paying jobs, instead of pandering to their differences,” said Liew, who heads the party’s political education bureau.
His comments come as Pakatan has been beset by racial and religious tension as it deals with issues such as the teaching of khat in vernacular schools and the status of controversial preacher Dr Zakir Naik.
Recently, Pakatan supporters expressed their disappointment with its chairman, Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s presence at the Malay Dignity Congress, a gathering that spouted nationalist sentiments.
The conference had been organised by members of Dr Mahathir’s party Bersatu as a way to shore up the party’s image as a defender of Malay rights and privileges.
On the opposite end, DAP’s non-Muslim supporters have been pressuring the party and Pakatan to halt the teaching of khat to Primary Four pupils in vernacular schools.
It has also emerged that some Umno leaders are attempting to persuade Bersatu and PKR to form a new government with MPs from the opposition party.
“In our society, there are those who have been (seduced) by racist ideas. We have to accept that in a plural society, there are fringes,” said Liew, who is also deputy defence minister.
“But Pakatan can be a government where everyone feels comfortable.”
Liew, however, admitted that it was not an easy path given the power of communal sentiments, especially now that Umno and PAS have forged a Muslim nationalist pact.
PAS and Umno are banking on the high support it still has among Malays, who form about 60% of the Malaysian electorate, to take over the federal government in the 15th general election.
“It’s not an easy task now with the challenge posed by PAS and Umno. But if Pakatan follows the extremist pull at the fringes, it will split in the middle.”
For Liew, Pakatan has to gain solid support from all communities, despite the fact that some its four parties claim to represent the interests of some.
For instance, Bersatu is an all-Malay party that champions the Malays while Chinese-dominated DAP’s traditional base has been the Chinese and Indian communities.
“In the end, DAP must realise it cannot win only with Chinese and Indian votes; it has to get the support of Malays. Without Malay support, DAP can only win 20 (parliamentary seats).”
DAP currently holds 42 seats in the Dewan Rakyat.
“The same logic holds for Bersatu, as it won in many mixed seats where there were 60% Malays and 40% non-Malays. Bersatu won on Malay and non-Malay support.”
Malaysians have generally chosen the middle path when it comes to how they vote, and the coalition that exemplifies this will eventually triumph, he said.
“We all have to agree that Malaysians always choose the middle path when they vote. In the end, we have to realise that all Malaysians need jobs with decent pay, education and upward mobility for their children.
“In reality, our dreams are the same even though we have different faiths, languages and cultures. In reality our interests are the same.” – October 19, 2019.