From Ibrahim M Ahmad
DAP can toss its “fair and democratic” tagline out the nearest window if, as announced, Charles Santiago is omitted from the party’s slate of candidates vying to be MPs come nomination day, Nov 5.
Something is clearly amiss here.
Three-term MP Santiago was odds-on favourite to convincingly retain his Klang seat at the upcoming 15th general election (GE 15), having won by landslide margins on all three previous occasions.
His is also easily one of the most recognisable faces in the royal town, having endeared himself to his constituents especially in the wake of massive flooding last year.
Santiago’s omission appears to have been made under less than congenial circumstances.
A gentleman to the very end, he has refused to go public with his version of events, choosing instead to share FMT’s Oct 26 report on the subject with a classy Facebook message thanking his constituents for “an incredible 15 years” and calling on them to support his successor wholeheartedly.
For unknown reasons, however, those sentiments have not been reciprocated by the party’s leadership.
Moments after giving Tony Pua, another outgoing MP, much praise at a fund-raising dinner on Wednesday night, secretary-general Loke Siew Fook avoided even mentioning the absent Santiago by name.
Instead, all that he could muster was an awkward, half-hearted, sideways mention when announcing V Ganabatirau’s nomination for the seat.
“Of course, we know there is a lot of feedback from many people, from many quarters, on our candidature for Klang.
“It is a tough decision, but sometimes we have to make tough decisions, and, for Klang, the party has decided to field our current exco member for Selangor, Saudara Ganabatirau.
“And I just want to stress that we appreciate the contributions of all our leaders. Everyone has a role to play,” Loke said.
For a party that talks much about the need for transparency in government, DAP has failed miserably to be forthcoming about the reasons behind Santiago’s exclusion.
After the same event, Selangor DAP chairman Gobind Singh Deo told the media he had spoken to Santiago “some time ago” and informed him about “some issues” that had been brought to his attention.
“Suffice for me to say that we have given him the opportunity to stand in Klang for three terms,” he said.
Ironically, Gobind himself has completed three terms in Puchong, and now is being nominated to take over the seat vacated by Pua in Damansara.
Likewise, Loke is seeking a fourth term, having been elected MP for Rasah in the 2008 general election before moving on to secure the Seremban seat for the next two terms.
By that token, Gobind’s explanation that Santiago has had his three-term stint will not suffice.
So, what other “issues” is he talking about, then?
Surely these are not performance-related issues. Ask the man in the street and most, if not all, will tell you that Santiago has outperformed almost every MP, not just in DAP but across the country, over the last term.
Even Human Rights Watch deputy director (Asia) Phil Robertson has gone on record to call DAP’s decision “disastrous”.
Much more is at play here. So, what is it? Sources close to Santiago say that to date, even he has not been given the courtesy of an explanation as to why he has been left out.
Has he become too popular for the leadership’s liking? Is he a threat to party leaders? Does he refuse to toe the party line? Is it that he is not considered a “favoured son” of the elite in the party?
Charles Santiago, Kasthuri Patto, Wong Tack, Ronnie Liu. DAP seems to be bleeding talent at the worst of times.
Social media has been abuzz with Klangites and Malaysians screaming for an explanation.
How is it the party leadership thinks one is not warranted?
Ibrahim M Ahmad is an FMT reader.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.