Following the 2013 general election, DAP emerged as the second most powerful party after Umno with close to 40 seats in Parliament.
Since then, attacks against the predominantly Chinese-based party have intensified, with detractors accusing it of being anti-Malay and anti-Islam.
Once again reiterating that DAP is not masterminding any coup, its veteran leader Lim Kit Siang said the next general election will not be a battle between Malays and Chinese for political power.
The Malays, he argued, will not lose political power.
Pinning the blame on Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, Lim said strategists in Putrajaya are doing their utmost to present the general election as a battle for the survival of Malays and Islam.
“They are equating the survival of Najib as prime minister with the survival of the Malays and Islam in Malaysia,” he added in a media statement.
However, Lim gave his assurance to the people that if Pakatan Harapan, the new opposition pact that critics claim is dominated by DAP, will safeguard the rights of all races if it forms the next federal government.
“A Pakatan Harapan federal government will compete with Umno and BN to have a better record in upholding the fundamental features of the Malaysian Constitution.
“It will look after the rights and interests of all Malaysians, whether Malays, Chinese, Indians, Ibans, Kadazans, Orang Asli and the question of Malays or any community losing political rights, or Malays and Islam under threat, will not arise.
“This is because a Pakatan Harapan federal government does not want to be a one-term government but be able to continue to get the mandate of the electorate in subsequent elections to govern Malaysia because we have proved to be better in looking after the rights and interests of all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or region,” Lim said.
Anger on the rise
But capturing Putrajaya may still prove to be a distant dream as a think-tank study shows that anger towards DAP among Malays in the rural areas is gaining traction due to Umno’s demonisation.
The situation, according to Darul Ehsan Institute (IDE), worsened after Pakatan Rakyat, the predecessor of Pakatan Harapan, crumbled.
With PAS and Umno on the offensive against Harapan, the campaign has become more effective as both parties are using religion as fodder.
"The anger and hatred are among rural Malays, especially PAS members and supporters.
"The level of anger is smallest in constituencies with elected DAP representatives in Selangor," IDE deputy chairperson Redzuan Othman (
photo
) told the
Malaysian Insider
.
The survey was conducted between Nov 13 and 15 last year, involving 1,716 Malay respondents in Selangor.
The survey found that almost two-thirds of the respondents (72 percent) agreed that DAP is a racial party that only looks after the interests of the Chinese.
On the other hand, 64 percent agreed that "DAP is an anti-Malay and anti-Islam party".
Redzuan said such negative sentiments were lower in constituencies with elected representatives from the DAP, even if they were Chinese, such as Ong Kiang Ming in Serdang and Hannah Yeoh in Subang.
He added that the lower anti-DAP feelings in these areas showed that perceptions towards the party can be changed through information campaigns.
DAP has also embarked on a recruitment drive to increase the number of Malay members, but those who join the party are panned as traitors to the Malay race.
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