CALONKINI | It was a combination of faith, idealism and calculated risk that eventually led former PAS youth activist Sheikh Omar Ali to his current position as Johor DAP assistant publicity secretary.

In an interview with Malaysiakini, he candidly addressed the perception that Malays in the DAP were mere "vases on display" to hide its Chinese-centric image.

"I hope to be the plant that grows in a vase and eventually be a shade for the people," he quipped.

Unlike his six other siblings who chose to follow their father’s and grandmother’s footsteps as school teachers, Sheikh Omar believed that a role in politics would allow him to reach and teach a larger group of people....