DAP leaders, members, branches and supporters should be prepared for UMNO/BN’s ultimate dirty tactics before the 14th General Election – ban the DAP and disallow the use of the Rocket logo on the flimsiest of grounds.

The possibility that the UMNO/BN government would use this ultimate dirty tactics against the DAP was revealed by none other than the press secretary to the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Tengku Sarifuddin in a late-night political exchange with the DAP Director of Political Bureau and MP for Kluang, Liew Chin Tong on Thursday.

Sariffuddin is clearly privy to Najib’s most secret plans for the 14GE, but the very fact that as a mere press secretary to the Prime Minister, he could openly show contempt for the Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Home Minister, Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi, by intruding into Zahid’s territory and jurisdiction – as the portfolio of Registry of Societies is directly under the Home Minister and have not been shifted to the Prime Minister’s Department – shows the contempt of Najib’s staff for the Deputy Prime Minister in having no qualms about publicly humiliating the No. 2 man in government.

If a lowly creature like the press secretary to the Prime Minister has such public contempt for the Deputy Prime Minister, one can imagine the confusion and chaos in the Najib administration.

Is the Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister privy to the conspiracy by the Najib kitchen cabinet – which includes non-Cabinet Ministers – to ban the DAP and the use of the Rocket logo just before the 14th General Election?

Sarifuddin’s statement is a clear indication that it will not be the Registrar of of Societies or the Home Minister who will finally decide on whether the DAP is to be deregistered by the Registrar of Societies, but by “little warlords” like Sariffuddin who will advise the Prime Minister on the matter.

Sariffuddin’s statement are strong signs that Najib’s inner circle is seriously considering DAP’s deregistration and the ban on the use of the Rocket logo in the 14th GE, although this is still subject to a number of factors, including the resignation of DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng as Penang Chief Minister and my retirement from Malaysian politics.

I never realised that I am such a threat to Najib and the UMNO/BN coalition that they could threaten DAP’s deregistration and disallow the use of the Rocket logo in the 14th General Election unless I retire from Malaysian politics.

I will tour the country to seek public feedback whether we should succumb to such intimidation from UMNO/BN – whether Lim Guan Eng should resign as Penang Chief Minister and I retire from Malaysian politics.
DAP leaders, branches, members and supporters should therefore be prepared for UMNO/BN’s ultimate dirty tactics before the 14GE – ban the DAP and disallow the use of Rocket logo on the flimsiest of grounds – and prepare for contingency plans.

There can be various responses.

One response is for the DAP candidates to use the Pakatan Harapan logo, if the logo could be registered in time for use in the 14th General Election. Alternatively, the DAP candidates could borrow and use the logo of one of the Pakatan Harapan parties as the DAP was prepared to do under a similar threat in the 13th General Election.

Another possibility is for DAP parliamentary and state assembly candidates to contest as Independent candidates. Although this will be quite confusing, with DAP Independents contesting in a sea of different independent electoral symbols in the country, I do not think the problems are insuperable in an information era.

Whether the DAP is deregistered and the Rocket logo is disallowed in the last minute before the 14th General Election, DAP leaders, members, branches and supporters must be prepared for such an eventuality.

(Speech at the Kelapa Sawit DAP Branch 35th Anniversary Dinner held in Kulai on Sunday, 2nd July 2017 at 9 pm)