Is DAP creating history by being the first party to sue their own voters who asked an elected rep to fulfil a promise?

DAP has pushed for freedom of speech and freedom of the press as core values of a free and democratic society.

Yet in just only 8 months, DAP is evolving into it’s antithesis seeking to intimidate and win multimillion dollar suits against their political opponents, media houses as well as their own voters who hold divergent views.  

It strikes as the anti-thesis of democracy when you display zero tolerance to dissent by silencing or intimidating your critics from a position of strength and power when an elected representative, from DAP, Datuk A. Sivanesan, who was corralled into power by voters, pulls the carpet from under his voters’ feet and now files a defamation suit against four individuals, one of whom is a young simple farmer who in all probability had voted for him.

A simple farmer airing the worries of Kuala Bikam New Villagers to Datuk A. Sivanesan who is a state Exco, saw all their hopes extinguished.

Instead of assisting the villagers to overcome the enormous anxiety of eviction from the village for commercial sand mining activities, in line with DAP Perak’s GE14 pledge of securing land titles, the Sungkai state Assemblyman and Exco member does the unbelievable of hauling his Perak voter to court.

Pray, what could village farmer Poh Wai Sheng at a mere 23 years of age have uttered that Datuk Sivanesan felt offended or threatened as a State Exco member? It is more of a bullying gesture to silence dissent from a party that advocates democracy and freedom of speech.

Politicians should expect and welcome criticisms whether warranted or otherwise. In this case the criticisms are constructive in nature, the elected representative must be a good listener and a sympathiser  in order to address the woes of constituents. 

Perak farmers were given the impression by DAP during GE14 that their farms would be saved. Datuk Sivanesan therefore should perform his level best to protect the farm, or come up with a viable alternative whereby the farmer’s income and future livelihood are not annihilated or displaced by commercial sand mining.

On a macro scale which is more worrisome, if a state Assemblyman cum Exco can sue a common, humble farmer whose only hopes were that Datuk Sivanesan kept to DAP’s pledge, will other Malaysians be thus susceptible to court cases if they insist that the PH coalition, its federal and state governments, its Senators, Members of Parliament and state Assembly honour their promises or election Manifesto?

This will be the first case in the history of Malaysia, a state Assemblyman suing his voters. Will this maiden case be the enjoinder for more to come when as voters place higher expectations on their elected representatives and the ruling government in a new Malaysia?

Datuk Sinavesan’s actions lay bare the sheer hypocrisy and empty promises of DAP. All their cries democracy are dead, were just a superficial front and never a commitment to hold true to their words.

Senator Dato’ Sri Ti Lian Ker   
MCA Vice President

-MCA online-