Go for alternative parties, outgoing DAP rep tells protest voters

Looi Sue-Chern Looi Sue-Chern Updated 8 years ago · Published on 7 Feb 2018 2:30PM · 3 Comments

DAP's Tanjung Bungah assemblyman Teh Yee Cheu, who will quit the party when the Penang state assembly is dissolved, says it is better for voters to choose other parties instead of spoiling their votes in protest. – The Malaysian Insight pic, February 7, 2018.

A PENANG assemblyman, who is quitting the DAP, wants voters thinking of spoiling their votes in protest to consider supporting alternative political parties instead.

Teh Yee Cheu, who is Tanjung Bungah assemblyman, said the general election would provide a good opportunity for the people to voice their concerns and views.

Instead of boycotting the polls and spoiling their votes, it would be better to consider other options, he said.

“Consider the other options to show the two main coalitions. I encourage them to vote, instead of spoiling their votes,” he told a press conference at his service centre today.

There is an ongoing campaign to boycott or protest the coming polls, especially on social media, by those disillusioned by the current political climate and the major political blocs Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan (PH).

Many supporters of the campaign are commenting on social media sites using the hashtags #UndiRosak, #SpoiltVote, #ProtesPRU and #GEProtest.

Political parties on both sides of the divide have voiced concern over the campaigns.

Teh, a two-term assemblyman, is planning to quit DAP the moment the Dewan Rakyat is dissolved for the 14th general election.

He is lately seen with members of Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM). PRM man Chew Seng Tung, who worked with Teh, was also at the press conference today.

But Teh said he has not made his decision on which party to join after leaving DAP.

“No decision yet… but since before, PRM has been a friend of DAP. PRM also had people speaking at ceramah with DAP,” he said, adding that he will not join BN or some of the small parties formed recently in Penang.

Teh had been disappointed with DAP over issues close to his heart like the environment, the rights of transgender people, and the limiting of the chief minister’s tenure to two terms.

He had clashed with his own party leaders and colleagues over the issues in recent years.

“But now DAP seems to have made some U-turns under PH, like the chief minister’s two-term limitation.

“The party missed the chance to do it a few years back. Now it is making a U-turn on that issue,” he said.

Teh was referring to recent Chinese press reports that quoted state DAP chief Chow Kon Yeow saying that Penang PH might include the two-term limit for the chief minister post in its manifesto, in-line with the national PH pledge to limit the prime minister’s term to two. – February 7, 2018.

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Comments

  • Why is he assuming #UndiRosak is NOT ALSO AGAINST HIM?

    Posted 8 years ago by Bigjoe Lam · Reply

  • Honestly, people like this Teh Yee Cheu, does appeal to me, and because i am probably going to be a person who is either going to abstain from voting or undi rosak my vote, i think a person like teh would probably also appeal to a lot of undi-rosakers. That he had clashed with his own party over the issues such as the environment and limiting the tenure of CM minister to two terms, to the point where i suppose he was given the option to either toe to line or leave the party, and the fact that he had chosen to leave the party rather than compromise on his principles, is something that i am sure a lot of undi rosakers can appreciate. One of the major reasons why i don't really have high hopes on either BN or pakatan, is not because of their principles, but because of their people. The people from both side, to tell you the truth, appear to me as the sort that will sell their soul and do whatever they are told, as long as the price is right. Who cares about what principles either party holds when yourpeople appear like they can be bought and sold?

    If it is true that teh is leaving his party on matters of principles, that to me means that at least he can't be bought and sold, and if nothing else, meaning that even if teh didn't even finish primary school and can't even sign his own name, i would still vote for him over the candidates of the other two parties, if i go to vote.

    But saying that , the election can be that far ahead, so time is short. How much impact can third party candidates make in such a short period? And lets not forget, if all the undi rosakers are like me, we are one cynical lot. Its not easy to convince us of the contrary after all that we have seen. Que sera sera.

    Posted 8 years ago by Nehru Sathiamoorthy · Reply

  • The prime purpose of elections is not to single-source leadership; you wouldn't do it in business so then why would you do it for leadership?

    We do it to prevent the immorality, complacency and arrogance of one party monopolistic rule. We do not like to be held in ransom because of the lack of choice. Only in a competitive environment, where there is an equitable power-balance situation can a bad leadership change its wayward ways; to offer better value proposition. It is forced to out of necessity to remain relevant, in power. Isn't that how we get the best value in a business transaction?

    So it is not the poor dire choices in the antagonistic parties, but rather the nature of democracy that compels change by having strong opposing entities compete on a level field. Voting is to allow that, to facilitate variety of leadership by nurturing competition over the prize of leadership. Think about the behavioural modification a true democracy can accrue when we balance power!

    Posted 8 years ago by Arun Paul · Reply