YOUNG leaders in DAP, especially the Malays, are given the opportunity to flourish in politics and never overlooked by party veterans, Young Syefura Othman said. 

The 32-year-old first-term Ketari assemblyman was among the Malay candidates fielded by DAP in the 14th general election (GE14). 

In an interview with The Malaysian Insight, Perak-born Syefura refuted a claim by Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah that the Malays in DAP are oppressed by their Chinese colleagues. 

The Kelantan prince made the claim last year in a similar interview on an InsightTalk programme. 

“It is up to the young Malays to join DAP with what is being offered by the party,” he said.

“If they think they can dominate the party, then go ahead. It would be good, but they must not let themselves be used by the party in order to control this country.

“I can’t give direct advice to them. I can only hope that they will realise this is Tanah Melayu (Malay land) and there is no other place for the Malays to go.”

Syefura said if she and her Malay colleagues were oppressed by their Chinese counterparts, they would not have been fielded as election candidates. 

“I joined DAP in 2014 and was still considered a newbie (in 2018) but they offered me an opportunity to stand in the election,” she said.  

“So it is not true to accuse DAP of sidelining the Malays in the party. We are given the opportunity. I wouldn’t be here if not for their trust.” 

Apart from Syefura, DAP had also fielded Jamaliah Jamaluddin as the candidate for Bandar Utama, Shaikh Umar Ali (Paloh), Edry Faisal Eddy Yusof (Dusun Tua), Syerleena Abdul Rashid (Seri Delima), Abu Bakar Lebai Sudin (Pulau Manis), Dr Abdul Aziz Bari (Tebing Tinggi), Zairil Khir Johari (Tanjung Bunga) and Norhizam Hassan Baktee (Pengkalan Batu) in GE14.

All of them won except for Abu Bakar. Norhizam left the party to support the Barisan Nasional-Perikatan Nasional Malacca government following the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) federal government in February 2020. 

Syefura, who is the sixth of seven siblings, admitted that more should have been done by the party to counter the old narrative that DAP supports communist ideology and is a racist party. 

“Maybe after this, I need to put out more information about DAP and what we do so that the public will know better. We have been accused of being a racist and communist party, which are all lies fed by Umno and Barisan Nasional,” she said.

‘Field young candidates’

Syefura said she hoped DAP will again field young candidates in the upcoming Johor state elections.

She said this is important as Undi18 is in place. 

“More than 100,000 young people will be eligible to vote for the first time in the state elections and we must not let them vote for others but PH,” she said.

“We need better policies and a plan that suit the youth to win their votes.

“Not just young Malays but also young Chinese and Indians. Youth, regardless of race and religion, should be given the opportunity (to contest in the elections).”  

The federal government gazette dated December 1 stated that the automatic registration of voters aged 18 and above came into effect on December 15. 

With the implementation of Undi18, it was reported that there is an increase of about 700,000 new voters. The total number of registered voters in Johor will be about 2.5 million. 

Syefura, however, slammed Umno for dissolving the Johor state assembly when the general election is expected to be called this year. 

“I don’t find the need to hold the state elections when the opposition in Johor has stated that it will guarantee stability,” said the former nurse. 

“This is just Umno being selfish. The general election will happen soon and now some Johor people will have to return home twice after they have celebrated Chinese New Year.”  

Last Saturday, Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar consented to the dissolution of the state legislative assembly, paving the way for the elections.

The Election Commission will meet on February 9 to determine the nomination and polling dates of the 15th Johor polls. – January 27, 2022.