YOURSAY | “DAP cannot complain about identity politics only when it loses.”

'We die standing': Loke defends failed Chennah bid, recounts 'toughest' fight

IndigoJaguar7545: Trying to attribute all of vote share losses to a few last-minute smears is... charitable.

But what do we expect from a minister appointed by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim? DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke has studied deflection from his chameleon boss, the angriest deflector in politics today.

Chennah's results show a shocking -15 percent swing against Loke in three short years. The longer Pakatan Harapan is in this government, the worse things will get for DAP.

This result is after Loke became a sitting federal minister in the government, the DAP secretary-general, the DAP chief for the entire state, campaigning in his own home state, a seat he's won easily for a decade.

This even after Anwar apologised to Indian voters and the Tabung Haji royal commission of inquiry (RCI) findings "suddenly" being released.

As DAP is still desperate to paint themselves as "good warriors", Loke's ego will damage DAP again and again. This is not a good mentality for a party that loses state elections even as incumbents.

For those unaware, Loke pushed for this election to be held as soon as possible.

A Little Bit Crazy: Alamak Ah Loke,

Are you new in politics?

Slanders, bad allegations, dirty tactics, all are standard operating procedures (SOPs) in politics, used commonly by both sides of the divide.

Politicians are not angels who only sing and praise all the time. Just look at your DAP - Nga Kor Ming and Superman - the way they talked, as if the other side are scary monsters, and yet you DAP guys sit together with monsters every week in cabinet, and some more had a courtesy visit to Umno headquarters; everyone smiled happily.

Voters are confused lah.

The main person to blame should be your Harapan boss Anwar. He failed. Period.

PinkJaguar7289: DAP cannot complain about identity politics only when it loses.

The party presents itself as multiracial, but its voter base, ceramah crowds and choice of winnable seats remain heavily divided along ethnic lines.

Its partners likewise distribute many constituencies according to racial calculations. That may be electoral reality, but it is still identity politics in a more respectable-looking package.

Loke’s narrow defeat was honourable, but “we die standing” avoids the harder question: why has DAP, after decades in politics and years in government, still failed to build deep trust among rural Malay voters?

Blaming lies and fear campaigns explains part of the loss, not all of it. A truly multiracial party must be able to win beyond its traditional ethnic strongholds.

Otherwise, it is condemning in its opponents what it quietly depends upon itself.

“Putting different race-based parties under one coalition logo does not automatically make the politics multiracial.”

BlueMorpho: Loke, you said the personal slander against you has caused you to lose the Chennah seat. Are you still bloody sleeping and dreaming?

There's nothing new if Umno said all those bad things against you. They have been doing that all the time. Didn't you yourself say they blamed DAP for everything?

The Chinese community still voted for other DAP candidates but not you. Why? Because the Chinese community no longer likes you. So just quit as secretary-general because we are sick of you!

IndigoTrout2522: DAP always takes the blame and naturally Loke and its top leadership will have to accept responsibility.

The reality is that non-Malays did not abandon DAP. Instead, PKR and Amanah failed miserably by not attracting enough votes from the Malays, including moderates.

Anwar and Harapan failed to fulfill its promised reforms and sidelined their largest partner, DAP, with 40 MPs.

Instead, he leaned more towards Umno and Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi took full advantage of the opportunity.

The voting in Negeri Sembilan has boiled down to a call for Malay unity with the BN/Perikatan Nasional coalition.

This will likely continue in immediate future elections. The question now: Is the current Harapan coalition still effective in regaining majority support from Malays and non-Malays?

DAP needs to re-evaluate this question immediately and stop the illusion that things will change for the better in the next election without making drastic changes in institutional and electoral reforms, economy, leadership, coalition partnership and, most of all, perception of its negative image!

DAP can no longer afford to keep quiet or may have to face obliteration, as the past is not necessarily an indicator of the future. Wish DAP well as it makes some tough decisions.

PowerRanger: I am surprised Loke is playing the blame game.

Instead of repenting and working on fulfilling their 15th general election manifesto, DAP still feels the Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections were lost due to slanderous and malay unite in BN and PAS.

Harapan parties, and especially Anwar, need to look into themselves and all the promises they have not fulfilled during the last general election.

Why are so many of the promises still pending and not fulfilled? Some have become so arrogant once they become ministers. All this matters.

Squirrel: Credit goes to the Negeri Sembilan MCA Youth chief John Siow Kong Choon, who is a local, a former municipal councillor and did a lot of ground work before the election.

Yes, the brazen lies and “fitnah” (slander) were below the belt but a hallmark of the ethnoreligious right wing.

Perhaps, the lesson learnt is to groom new grassroots leaders in the state assembly while you are busy focused on your ministerial work.

Loke is a gentleman, polite, mature, wise; I know him. However, how much can he push Anwar? Certainly not publicly.

So I say well done, Loke! You did well! I have much respect for you. Continue to build our beloved Malaysia.

Catmandoo: Policy of appeasement and incompetence hurt more.

Former DAP strongman Lim Kit Siang and all your esteemed predecessors had to deal with slander, identity politics, the Internal Security Act, and you name it.

They always defended their seats. They only lost when they sometimes had to unseat some strongmen in a foreign constituency.

You were in the government, failed to act competently (or even with dignity). While disgraceful, it is unsurprising that you lost to a candidate from a very weak and irrelevant party.

R_A_G: Falling flat on the face is not “die standing”. Loke and his sycophants chose to save face rather than to acknowledge their mistakes and correct them.

He is the worst DAP secretary-general ever. Better stick to selling number plates.

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