Press Statement By Chong Chieng Jen:
Though party-hopping, betrayals and back-stabbing have become the new norms in Malaysia politics, many ordinary Rakyat still value integrity and steadfast principles in political parties and politicians.
Last night, I have received more than 100 new membership applications from a small village in the Stampin constituency for the setting up of a new DAP branch.
I asked them why chose to join DAP at this time when we are just ousted as the government, the reply was most encouraging. They said, they prefer a party that is “principled and will not betray the Rakyat”. In the past few months of political turmoil, DAP stands out as a party that is disciplined and principled. Though politicians may have other views, but ordinary Rakyat do appreciate such virtues.
Undoubtedly, in the whole “Sheraton Move” saga and the ensuing few months of political turmoil, all 42 Members of Parliament of the DAP stood firmly with Pakatan Harapan and defended the mandate of the people, not a single MP from DAP wavers nor betrays the trust of the people.
Amidst all the party-hopping and betrayals, there are many who tried to justify their betrayals and lack of integrity. Nonetheless, a betrayal is a betrayal, no amount of nice words can beautify nor justify the ugliness of a betrayal.
We can never over-stress the virtue and importance of integrity and discipline in any political party and amongst politicians. If a political leader can betray the trust and votes of the Rakyat, he can sell out anything for personal gains. Such leaders are of no good for the country and the people.
As for the local GPS, it is really farcical for Abang Jo to equate GPS to a pretty lady that attracts many suiters. One will not forget the recent history of GPS. When BN lost federal power in 2018, the GPS which were then component parties of BN quit BN and abandoned their partners for more than 40 years without any hesitation. Later, when the remnants of BN together with PAS formed the Perikatan Nasional (what I call the resurrection of BN with the extremism of PAS), the GPS quickly joined the PN to be part of the federal government.
If we were to apply the same analogy of GPS to a woman, this is a woman who abandons her partner of more than 40 years’ of marriage when the partner lost power and later when the partner regains power, she came crawling back. Such fickleness is abhorrent.
In my address to the new members, I stressed that integrity, principles and discipline are the main pillars of DAP and that is what we expect of all our members. It is by steadfastly upholding these virtues that the Rakyat will continue to have trust in DAP despite how dirty and murky the other parties and politicians have made of politics in Malaysia.
