Political parties, especially Pakatan should speak out against vandalism

It is appalling that within a space of a week, five political service centres have been vandalized, the first four being Penang DAP headquarters and three other DAP service centres on 14 September 2012, and the fifth being the Gerakan Pulai Tikus centre on 17 September 2012 in what can be construed as a tit-for-tat situation, especially when Malaysians are general regarded as peace loving and respectful people.

It is a sad sight to see that our political culture has descended into the mentality of ‘an eye-for-an-eye’ among Malaysians, especially since the 12th General Elections in 2008 or better known by its acronym 308. It is even sadder that while DAP was quick to condemn the attacks on their own headquarters, they remain silent on the vandalism of the Gerakan service centre.

Pakatan should stop constantly portraying themselves as victims and playing such issues up, as others in the Barisan coalition too have suffered similar fates, not them alone. All political parties should speak out on such acts, especially Pakatan, as in their silence, the perpetrators may misconstrue it as a silent approval which will then give rise to more horrible acts, similar only to the brutal tactics of a loanshark, or ‘ah long’.

They were silent on the vulgarities used by their members, like holding a mock funeral rite for me during campaigning in 2008 or hurling misogynistic gender stereotypes against me at a public forum a few months ago. Thus it is no surprise that Pakatan too indirectly is linked political physical attacks on office structures, while at the same time pandering to the public by making playing up their misfortunes.

Wanita MCA Penang on the other hand had immediately criticized the attacks at the DAP service centres. In the past, we had also spoken out against degradation of women, regardless of political affiliation. All parties must speak out against the usage of hate politics and violence to achieve their own political means, and Wanita MCA is proud to say that we have taken the first step in doing so.

Tan Cheng Liang
Wanita MCA Penang chairman