The Malaysian Insider
Tuesday, 08 March 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, March 8 — A senior Gerakan leader announced his resignation from the party today, blaming it on the Umno’s “hegemonic race politics” that has changed little since the political tsunami in the last general election.
Dr Hsu Dar Ren said, in a statement today, that he was resigning from all his positions in Gerakan, including that of central committee member, Federal Territory state liaison committee member, division chairman, branch chairman and ordinary membership.
“Parti Gerakan is a party with good ideology to establish a fair and equitable society in Malaysia. It too has many conscientious members who subscribe to this ideology. Unfortunately, within the framework of BN, where the hegemonic race politics of Umno predominates, it is impossible for Gerakan to realise this ideal,” he said.
The disheartened Dr Hsu (picture), who has been a vocal leader, said that after more than five decades of “race-based politics”, the country has drifted so much apart that “racial polarisation has never been as bad as now”.
“Despite the many decades of trying to work from within, Gerakan is now further and further away from realising its ideals.
“Three years after the 308 general election, I sense that apart from rhetoric, there is little change in policies gearing towards uniting the people and providing a fairer and more equal footing for all. I feel that it is now futile for me to try to fight within the system anymore,” he said.
He made clear that he has no intention of joining any other political party, but will continue to voice out through writing and blogging on the “importance of building a fair and equitable society”.
In his blog, Dr Hsu’s Forum, he said his resignation was not because of the party itself, and stressed that it “has a good ideology and many good members and many good friends”, but more because of the “dominance of Umno over everything else within the coalition”, and that he is “sick of race-based politics”.
“My decision to quit is nothing personal and not against anyone in the party. Even though I am quitting, I am still hoping against hope that the party can eventually realise its ideology of a fair and equal society, but given the political reality, it will not be possible in any foreseeable future,” he said.