Humayun Kabir
IPOH (June 9, 2008): Gerakan vice-president Datuk Chang Ko Youn, who is also Perak Gerakan chairman, tells theSun recently how his party is and can remain relevant after the March 8, 2008 political tsunami. Chang hopes the Barisan Nasional will take cue from the new political trend and adjust its approach to suit the needs and demands of Malaysians.
> What are the factors for Gerakan’s poor showing in the recent polls and issues that are plaguing the party?
We were aware that the mood was not right to hold a general election in March 2008, especially (with the dissenting) Chinese and Indian voters. These voters were angered by a series of events in 2006 and 2007, such as the raising the keris at the Umno assemblies, allegations of marginalisation of Malays in Penang, poor public delivery system, corruption, abuse of power and Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).
We were apprehensive but were assured by our counterparts that we could get over the tough scenario. We expected a result that would be somewhere between the 2004 and 1990 general elections. It turned ot to be a nightmare. We contested 12 parliamentary and 31 state seats. We won only two parliamentary and four state seats. Our worst result to date.
One of the major factors for Barisan Nasional (BN)'s dismal performance was the excellent result of the 2004 general election which made some Umno leaders to be over confident and at worst, arrogant. The live telecast of the Umno Assembly worsened the situation when some inconsiderate, irresponsible and hurting racial remarks were made.
We tried to assure the public that the uncalled for racial remarks were personal opinions of some rabble-rouser politicians and that the rabble-rouser did not represent the policies and views of Umno. Umno's president and deputy president are the actual spokesmen for Umno and the government. However, unfortunately the public did not accpet the explanation.
> Would holding early party elections rock an already shaky Gerakan boat which is reeling from its worst electoral performance?
The party had actually postponed the party elections to next year. Since the general election is already over, we felt it would be better to get a fresh mandate from the delegates.
(Tan Sri) Dr Koh Tsu Koon and some central committee (CC) members felt that we should resign and let the delegates decide on new leadership in an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) immediately after the the general election. On second thought, it would create more problems if we resigned at such a difficult moment.
So we decided to bring forward the party elections and let the delegates decide on the new team or to maintain some old faces. I'm sure some CC members will retire and fresh blood will be brought in. Gerakan needs a rejuvenation to survive this difficult period.
> In the aftermath of the general election's bashing, party leaders spoke of returning to the party’s basic ideology and want to be the conscience of BN by playing the role of a constructive opposition. All these years, Gerakan with its representation in BN could hardly make Umno sit up. Now that the party is virtually out in the cold, would playing a constructive opposition matter now?
We are not the only party which suffered badly in this election. We accept the fact that we are partly to be blamed for this disastrous result. The party was aware that many voters were unhappy with the government and BN, especially on the implementation of the New Economic Policy (NEP), Education Policy and civil service performance.
We worked extremely hard to settle local problems by getting close to the voters and fostering good community projects. We thought they would vote us based on our performances as Wakil Rakyat. However, local issues did not feature prominently to them. Voters focused on national issues. Our performance, service record, personality and development projects in constituencies became insignificant.
Most of the national issues were against us and the opposition parties made full use of the information and communication technology in their campaigns and they freely distributed VCDs.
> Since joining the BN in the early 1970s, Gerakan's multi-ethic character seems to have vacillated in being racial to non-racial and back. As a revival option for a wind of change, what fresh hopes are there on the cards to chart a new course?
We are non-racial in our policy and approach which are based on human rights and liberal democratic principles . We must struggle in our fight for a fair and just society. We have to protect the rights of every racial group not because of their racial background but because of their fundamental rights as human beings who must be accorded the rights stipulated in the Federal Constitution.
In the aftermath of the 2008 general election, I think we have to modify our approach and must raise issues publicly as the public want to see us as really working and not just working. I think Malaysians are mature enough and rational and would not to be easily provoked racially. This recent election had demonstrated the people's maturity as Malaysians. We now see Malays voting for the DAP and non-Malays voting for PAS. This means most Malaysians do not vote according to racial lines anymore.
I hope the BN will take cue from this new trend and adjust its approach to suit the needs and demands of Malaysians. Racial appeal does not work as well as it had in the past. It's time for BN component parties which are run on racial lines to amend their party constitution to make it non-racial, otherwise they would fade away one fine day. Eventually all component parties must be dissolved and be absorbed as one single entity as the BN and not separate entities. A new approach has to be adopted by Gerakan. We have to be more vocal and proactive in taking up issues publicly. The party must be prepared to criticise and be criticised for anything wrong, which includes acts from our partners in the BN.
> Would Gerakan lead the way by merging with smaller multi-racial parties?
The suggestion is not viable. Such a merger should be done by all BN component parties by first amending their constitutions accommodate a non-racial policy. This will happen eventually but a long wait will cost us dearly as the political climate has changed so dramatically.
> Indian leaders in Gerakan had accused the party of practicing racial bias. Would this not render the party as just another Chinese-based party and in the process becoming redundant as MCA is deemed the sole Chinese party in BN? The new trend for political survival is a multi-ethnic platform. Can we now see a more liberal minded approach from the party? And how is the party attracting more members among the younger generation of Indians and Malays? Why is it so hard to break barriers in race-based politics for a common good? A glaring example is the success story of Pakatan Rakyat (PR) in the five states. But BN hesitates with such moves.
Do not view us as Chinese, Malays or Indians. We are Malaysians, we should think and act as Malaysians. It doesn't matter that the majority of our members are of Chinese origins. Certain sectors brand us as a Chinese-based party just because of this majority of our member. Such branding is unfair. Most of the seats we contested are in the urban and in Chinese majority areas. In doing so, we are naturally seen as taking up more Chinese issues than other issues. When we take up issues affecting the Chinese, we never use the term "Chinese" as a ground to fight for their rights. We fight for them because they are Malaysians whose fundamental rights must be protected. What is important is their attitude, thinking and approach. Being racial or non-racial is in the mind, not the colour of the skin.
In the past, leaders like (Datuk) Rhina Bhar, (Datuk) Dominic Puthucheary and (Datuk Dr S.) Vijayaratnam had stood for elections. In the 2008 general election,we tried to field non-Chinese candidates in certain areas but there was local resistance. The residents wanted local people when we had suitable Indian candidates but unfortunately they were considered as "outsiders". Yes, we agree we need a more conscious effort to field non-Chinese candidates in the next general election.
> Gerakan adviser (Tun Dr Lim Keng Yaik) had said BN component parties had been reduced to accepting "beggar politics". Will there come a time for Gerakan to leave the BN fold if its views are pushed aside by Umno’s seemingly arrogance, belief and sense of entitlement to rule as it wishes?
This is not the time to talk about quitting the BN. After the dismal performance, we must do a post-mortem and fine-tune BN to the new scenario. Policies and behaviours must be adjusted. Past non-sensical behaviour and mistakes must not be repeated. I think we can revive our political fortune, provided we are prepared to change and meet the needs and aspirations of all Malaysians.
I think the term "beggar politics" was crudely put. We are there to serve the people and everything is a struggle and nothing comes easy as it seems. There are a lot of ideological differences among the BN component parties. Some go on racial lines but we take the non-racial approach. Whatever differences and disputes, we settle them in close-door discussions and whatever heat that is generated would be contained by consensus and a give-and-take attitude. It is good in the sense that sensitive and touchy issues can be discussed frankly and not aired in public.
The disadvantage here is that the public is not aware that Gerakan is working for them in a sensible manner. In politics, you cannot achieve all that you demand. Anyway we would not fail completely. A compromise is always possible for the good of national unity and development.
> It is said that BN are sore losers after the recent bashing in the general election. The BN is seen as infringing on the five PR governed states' power and rights. Could this not backfire as an act of defiance and not accepting the voters' mandate?
Now that the PR had won five states, they must be given the power and rights to run the five states as mandates had been given by the voters. Similarly, the BN had won other states and the Parliament. BN must be given the right to run (the federal governmnet) and not constantly be disturbed by defection rumours created by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) . I believe none of the BN representatives will defect to PKR or DAP or PAS. This is a mind game created by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to destabilise BN. It is more of an effort to distract people and at the same time ensure their representatives do not defect to BN.
> What is wrong in allowing Gerakan members to be appointed to posts offered by PR state governments? Should not the party feel proud of its talented members who were offered such posts? We have seen two Gerakan members going for it so far.
If the offer was genuine our people should take it. But there are certain political agendas and motives in the offer. The latest incident involving Datuk Dr Tan Kee Kwong is a good example. Why not take a neutral person to chair the Land Investigation Committee instead of an active politician who is partisan in views and approach? We know what's behind the scene.
