Gerakan secretary-general Liang Teck Meng has once again displayed the party’s true colors and more so, Gerakan’s real role in Barisan Nasional. In a recent statement, he had the audacity to criticise DAP as a party that is not to be trusted simply because of our recent affiliation with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) but more so, forging allies with former political foe, Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Aristotle once aptly said, “a common danger unites even the bitterest enemies” and in our case, the danger of Malaysia becoming a failed state under a corrupt government is good enough for us to bury the hatchet and unite for the betterment of our nation’s future.

I would like to take this opportunity to remind Liang and Gerakan that the party is still in affiliation with Umno, whose president is no other than Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, a man who is allegedly deeply embroiled in our nation’s grand corruption scandals.

Furthermore, how can Malaysians trust, let alone forgive a party which had voted for the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), which has single-handedly driven Malaysians to fiscal hardship and to a larger extent, brought insurmountable anxiety to families within the federation.

Gerakan had administered Penang between 1969 to 2008 and unfortunately, chosen to ignore the plight of average Malaysians. Their leaders had lost the plot along the way and had chosen to govern from their ivory towers. Needless to say, the DAP-led government in Penang had inherited a system that had a lot to be left desired.

Since 2008, the DAP-led Penang state government has administered and carried out responsibilities justly while upholding competency, accountability, transparency (CAT) principles, which had been given due recognition by Transparency International; the Penang state government is the first government in Malaysia to practice an open tender system.

In the course of eight years, the Penang state government under DAP had successfully reduce the state government’s debt amounting to 90 percent. To date, the unemployment rate in Penang now stands at 1.7 percent - one of the lowest in the country.

In addition to that, Penang under DAP has proven record budget surpluses without imposing the GST (highly possible if corruption can be weeded out effectively). Our surplus from 2008 to 2015 is RM574 million compared to RM373 million for 50 years under Barisan Nasional 1957 to 2007.

It is extremely clear that the seven years of DAP/Pakatan Harapan state government rule in Penang is far more effective than the previous 39 years under Gerakan/Barisan Nasional and 50 years under Barisan Nasional collectively.

As the battle to save Malaysia draws closer, the evil soundbites generated by Barisan Nasional will become louder. These soundbites will attempt to drown out every ounce of logic and common sense. Liang’s accusations that DAP has ‘flipped flopped’ from its principles are greatly unfounded and laughable, especially, given the entire context and platform Gerakan presents itself from. Malaysians are not stupid; let the success of Penang and numbers speak for itself.

Gerakan, at this point in time, is a living example of the English idiom - as a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool to his folly.

In 50 years, DAP has never flinched from the challenges thrown by the ruling regime; the political game of chess, though, incredibly one sided, has always been met head on with fortitude and perseverance.

SYERLEENA ABDUL RASHID is DAP Wanita national assistant publicity secretary, Penang DAP assistant publicity secretary, Penang DAP Wanita political education director and Penang Island City Council (MBPP) councillor.