It was always an inspiring occasion to attend a DAP function in Petaling Jaya, which had for decades been the DAP fort in the political struggle for an united, just, democratic and progressive Malaysia.

What made tonight’s DAP dinner even more significant are two events.

Firstly, the presentation by two of the country’s most patriotic Malaysians on their contribution towards building a better Malaysia at great personal costs – DAP PJ Utara MP Tony Pua who continues to cause the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to have sleepless nights because of his relentless pursuit of Malaysia’s greatest financial scandal, the multi-billion dollar 1MDB international money-laundering scandal which had turned Malaysia overnight into a global kleptocracy and the PKR MP for Pandan Rafizi Ramli who had similarly pursued and exposed relentlessly the SRC International dimension of the 1MDB kleptocratic scandal, naming names – individuals, companies and political parties.

But what has made tonight’s event most unique is the presentation of five young Malaysians, of various races from both gender, representing the new cohort of Malaysians who are equally committed to continue the struggle of a united, just, democratic and progressive Malaysia.

I announced in Gelang Patah yesterday that the 14th General Election will be my last electoral battle, as I had taken part in eleven general elections since 1969.

I have been in Malaysian politics for 51 years because of the Malaysian Dream to build a nation where all Malaysians, regardless of their different racial, religious or regional backgrounds, are united and feel as one because they are Malaysians and proud to be a Malaysian, and where Malaysia can leverage on the best of the diverse races, cultures, religions and civilizations which meet in confluence in Malaysia, to be a top world nation in different fields of human endeavour.

But this is not the case. In the past sixty years, instead of heading towards global excellence, we have become a global kleptocracy.

There are recent attempts to cause the worst racial and religious polarization in the nation’s history because of the political agenda of certain elements who want to protect their political power positions through the politics of lies, hate and fear by generating racial and religious distrust and animosities in our plural society.

DAP has always been a party for all Malaysians and we had never a party for any one race. DAP leaders, who come from diverse ethnic and religious groups, never aspire to be leaders of only one ethnic or religious group, as we always see ourselves as representing all Malaysians regardless of race, religion or region.

We must never give up hope, however difficult the odds, to strive for an united, just, democratic and progressive Malaysia and I call on all Malaysians, regardless of age, race, religion or region, to step forward to join hands as Malaysians to save Malaysia.

This is our greatest challenge in the forthcoming 14th General Election – to motivate and mobilise Malaysians, regardless of race, religion and region, to unite as Malaysians to save Malaysia from becoming a kleptocratic and failed state.

(Speech at the DAP PJ Election Fund-Raising Dinner at SS2, Petaling Jaya on Saturday, May 6, 2017 at 11 pm)