The 33.9% of the popular vote for UMNO/BN and 16.6% of popular vote for PAS in the 14GE did not realise that their vote would be used to support or prop up a kleptocratic Malaysia

At the DAP breaking-of-fast in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, I was glad to meet for the first time after the 14th General Election some of the DAP Malay Members of Parliament and State Assembly representatives, including Member of Parliament for Raub, Tengku Zulpuri Shah bin Raja Puji; Selangor State Assemblyman for Dusun Tua, Edry Faizal Eddy Yusof and State Assemblywoman for Bandar Utama Jamaliah Jamaludin; Pahang State Assemblywoman for Ketari Young Syefura Othman (Rara) on an occasion which was attended by DAP Secretary-General and Minister for Finance, Lim Guan Eng, and the other DAP leaders like the DAP National Chairman and MP for Cheras, Tan Kok Wai, DAP Deputy Secretary-General and MP for Seputeh Teresa Kok, National Publicity Secretary and MP for Damansara Tony Pua, DAP National Political Education Bureau Chairman Liew Chin Tong, MP for Segambut Hannah Yeoh, MP for Kota Kinabalu Chan Foong Hin, MP for Ipoh Timor Ong Kah Woh, MP for Taiping Teh Kok Lim and many others.

I have yet to meet after the historic May 9 poltical earthquake the other DAP Malay State Exco/Assembly representatives, like Johore State Exco Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali (Paloh), Malacca State Exco Norhizam Hassan Baktee (Pengkalan Batu); Penang State Exco Zairil Khir Johari (Tanjong Bunga) and State Assemblywoman for Seri Delima Syerleena Abdul Rashid and Perak State Exco Dr. Abdul Aziz Bari (Tebing Tinggi).

But there is no doubt that the 14th General Election marked a major stride in the DAP’s struggle to fulfill the Malaysian Dream of all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, region or politics, where Malaysia can purged themselves of the infamy and ignominy of being regarded worldwide as a global kleptocracy; and become a “beacon of light for a disturbed and distracted world” by being a showcase of how a nation of diverse races, religions, languages and cultures can succeed as an united, harmonious, democratic, progressive and prosperous Malaysia.

In the 14th General Election, the DAP fielded the most representative and inclusive slate of candidates for the parliamentary and state assembly candidates in party history - a total of 148 candidates comprising Chinese 108, Indian 23, Malay 10, KDM 3, Iban 3, Orang Asli 1.

DAP won 42 parliamentary seats and 101 State Assembly seats, with the following ethnic breakdown:

MPs – 42 (Chinese 32; Malay 1; Indian 7; KDM 1: Dayak 1).

State Assembman/woman – 101 (Chinese 77; Malay 8; Indian 15; KDM – 1). [exluding 7 State Assemblyman won in the Sarawak state general election in 2016].

In the 14th General Election, Pakatan Harapan secured 48.3% of the popular vote, while Barisan Nasional secured 33.9% and PAS 16.6% of the popular vote.

However, I do not believe that 33.9% of the popular vote which supported Barisan Nasional, in particular UMNO, candidates would have done so if they fully understood that their vote would be regarded as a vote for Malaysia continuing as a global kleptocracy and the slew of abuses and excesses of power under the Najib premiership.

Similarly, I do not believe that there would be 16.6% of popular votes for PAS if these voters had realised that this popular vote would be used to prop up Datuk Seri Najib Razak as Prime Miniser and Malaysia continuing as a global kleptocracy scorned and humiliated by the world.

The next five year will be challenging ones for it will afford an opportunity to reach out to the 50.5% of popular vote who did not vote for Pakatan Harapan in the 14GE for they did not realise that their votes would be used to support or prop up a kleptocratic Malaysia – making Malaysia to continue as the laughing stock of the world.

Lim Kit Siang DAP Parliamentary Leader & MP for Iskandar Puteri