Will those who conspired long and hard in past five years to snuff out DAP from the political landscape succeed tomorrow?

Will those who conspired long and hard in the past five years to snuff out the DAP from the Malaysian political landscape succeed tomorrow when the DAP holds a special congress to re-elect the 2012 DAP national leadership based on the 2012 DAP delegates’ list – as directed by the Registrar of Societies?

Time will tell but the DAP is not going to allow itself to be snuffed out of the struggle in Malaysia for democracy, justice, freedom, development, good governance and national unity.

I said yesterday that the Penang flood-and-storm disaster is an object lesson for all Malaysians, as in natural disasters like the great Kelantan flood disaster at the end 2014, all Malaysians throughout the country, regardless of race, religion, region or politics, demonstrate that they are Malaysians first and last, and came forward to render assistance to their fellow-Malaysians in distress and need.

The question is why we need to wait for a natural disaster to happen for these feelings of solidarity, compassion, goodwill and unity to surface – transcending race, religion, region or politics?

Or is the National Patriots Association (Patriot) right, that it is the “evil” politicians who are stoking the fires of racial and religious bigotry, intolerance, hatred and extremism to create a rift among Malaysians?

On Monday, G25, a group of prominent former civil servants, warned that governments which use race and religious politics eventually turn their nations into failed states.

It said in a statement: “We should learn from countries which have turned into failed states because their governments used race and religious politics which do not take in account the religious sensitivities of all its citizens.

“If Malaysia acts in ways that jeopardise harmony by implementing extremist policies and ignoring the rule of law, it will negatively impact its economy and society.

“Many of our skilled professionals and our capital will flow out to other countries while private investors will feel nervous about the economy and the nation’s future.”

G25 urged all political parties to not use racial or religious rhetoric in their respective manifestoes and urged them to commit to:

• A moderate administration of Islam in line with the Federal Constitution to preserve social and economic stability.
• An open democratic system based on rule of law and checks and balances to guard against corruption and abuse of power.

It said: “Malaysians are tired of racial politics and want a type of politics that brings people together into a ‘bangsa Malaysia.”

We are in the 60th year of nationhood, and it is time that all political parties commit themselves to a politics of inclusivity, openness and tolerance and foreswear the politics of exclusivism, a closed society and intolerance.

I asked yesterday whether this spirit of oneness as Malaysians transcending race, religion, region or party politics could prevail in our country not just during natural disasters so that Malaysians are not distracted from our Malaysian Dream to build a great Malaysia for all Malaysians?

This is a question that deserves serious thought by national leaders from all political parties as well as Malaysians, as I find distressing that there are political leaders who does not miss a beat by continuing in the old politics of race and religion, packaged in new packet of fake news and false information, to create rifts in our society.

An information chief of a political party is no more the party’s principal official to convey information but to disseminate fake news and false information, with the UMNO Information Chief providing the most recent illustration.