Last Saturday, when two young Malay professionals from Perak both of whom UiTM law graduates, Fairuz Azhan and Dyana Sofia announced joining the DAP, close on the heels of similar announcements by Hata Wahari, former President of National Union of Journalists (NUJ) and two wellknown bloggers Mohd Arif Sabri or known as Sokmongkok AK47 on the blogosphere and Aspan Alias, UMNO Youth leader Khairy Jamaluddin was sufficiently upset at Malays joining DAP as to come out with a public statement.

In the coming weeks, when more Malays, both young and old, join DAP in the struggle for a united, just, democratic and competitive Malaysia for all Malaysians, the Prime Minister and UMNO President, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy UMNO President, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin would be the next persons to be upset and shocked.

Let me inform the UMNO leaders that this is the tide of the times and no force in the world can stop more Malays joining up with other Malaysians from other ethnicities in DAP to build a common destiny as Malaysian citizens for future generations of Malaysians.

DAP has right from the beginning of our formation 46 years ago committed to the cause for all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or region – the forerunner of the 1Malaysia policy promulgated by Najib when he became Prime Minister but which could not secure unanimous and unconditional support of his Cabinet and Barisan Nasional leadership after 33 months.

It is a reflection of the political insecurities of the UMNO leaders that they have subjected the DAP to an unrelenting assault with lies and falsehoods – as in the irresponsible exploitation of the 3R cards of race, religion and raja Melayu against the DAP by both Najib and Muhyiddin at the recent UMNO General Assembly.

DAP had never been anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Malay Rulers, as clearly stated in DAP pronouncements both in and out of Parliament down the decades as well as in the Pakatan Rakyat policy documents, whether Common Policy Framework (CPF) or Buku Jingga (Orange Book) which committed all Pakatan Rakyat parties to uphold the fundamental features of the Malaysian Constitution.

In fact, if the DAP had been anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Raja Melayu, DAP would not have stood the test of time in the past 46 years as we would have been deregistered and outlawed long ago under the laws of the land.

Section 2A (1) of the Societies Act 1966 provides:

“2A. (1) It shall be the duty of every registered society in carrying out its activities and in conducting its affairs to ensure that they are in accord with, and conducive to the fulfilment of and adherence to, the provisions of the Federal Constitution and the State Constitutions, and where any of the activities or affairs of any society is in any manner violative of, or derogatory to, or militates against, or shows disregard for—

(a) the system of democratic government headed by a constitutional sovereign of Malaysia, and, in the States, by the respective constitutional Rulers or Yang di-Pertua Negeri; or

(b) the position of Islam as the religion of Malaysia, with other religions being practised in peace and harmony; or

(c) the use of the National Language for official purposes; Or

(d) the position of the Malays and of the natives of the States of Sabah and Sarawak; or

(e) the legitimate interests of the other communities,

as provided under the Federal Constitution or any of the State Constitutions, the Registrar may cancel the registration of the society after giving the society an opportunity to make representations to him.”

DAP will be celebrating our 46th anniversary on March 18, and during the four-and-a-half decade of our struggle, DAP had never been once asked by the Registrar of Societies to show cause why we should not be deregistered for opposing or undermining the fundamental features of the Constitution, whether with regard to Islam as the official religion or the system of constitutional monarchy.

Najib and Muhyiddin should stop being ignorant and contemptuous of the Constitution and the laws and cease and desist from continuing to exploit the 3R cards of lies and falsehood againt the DAP, as this is not only against Najib’s 1Malaysia concept but also Najib’s claim to be a “moderate” in his recent call for a Global Movement of Moderates!

(Speech at the Penang DAP Chinese New Year Open House at Penang Chinese Town Hall on Thursday, 26th January 2012)