“The collaboration requires compromise and some retuning of DAP’s core principles,” said Awang Azman Pawi of Universiti Malaya.
Speaking to FMT, he said the speech by delegate Sangeet Kaur at the DAP convention on Sunday was indicative of the party grassroots’ distrust of the “cunning” Mahathir.
“It is clear many members are still traumatised by Mahathir’s actions when he was prime minister,” he said, “His attacks against DAP at the time made it tough for the party to expand and secure victory at the polls.
“Mahathir’s track record as a cunning politician has made DAP delegates careful that they won’t get trapped in one of his political ploys.”
In her speech, Sangeet, the delegate for the party’s USJ Subang Jaya branch and a daughter of the late party strongman Karpal Singh, warned DAP to be wary of its potential allies, reminding it of Mahathir’s frequent use of the now-abolished Internal Security Act against political foes.
She said it was imperative that the party maintain its principles.
Awang Azman said Sangeet’s remarks were an attempt to caution DAP against abandoning its principles for the sake of trying to secure victory in the next general election.
“However, this is not a sign of cracks within the party,” he said, “but of concern the delegates have over the uncertain future of the party’s collaboration with Mahathir.”