OPPOSITION party DAP has thrived in the 56 years since it was officially registered, thanks to six guiding principles, its outgoing national chairman Tan Kok Wai said.

In an interview in conjunction with the party’s 56th anniversary, Tan said DAP has kept to these half dozen pillars, which have held the party together through tough times.

The six pillars are quality members; knowledge; investing in youth; empowering women; mobilisation and organisation, said Tan, who is stepping down from the national chairman’s post he has held for eight years.

DAP will elect its central executive committee (CEC) today at its national congress. 

Tan will not seek re-election and talk is that outgoing secretary-general Lim Guan Eng will be vying for the position.

Tan said the party must have quality members who are knowledgeable and able to keep up with the times so that DAP remains relevant.

The party believes in harnessing youth power, and ensures that it has a good pool of young members so that there is always internal rejuvenation and future leadership.

Recognising women and making them leaders is important, because they play an important role in keeping the party together.

Mobilisation and organisation are essential skills for DAP to respond and adapt to any situation.

The six pillars are what give the party its strength and appeal, Tan said.

“In order to build a democratic society, we have promoted good governance, maintained a good culture, kept to a policy of moderation, an anti-corruption stance and emphasised integrity,” said the 64 year-old Cheras MP.

Tan became acting national chairman when his predecessor Karpal Singh was killed in a car accident in 2014.

He was confirmed to the post at the party’s 2017 congress.

However, in 2019, he made it clear then that he wanted to step down because “one should not hold the same position for too long”.

“From acting chairman to today, it’s been eight long years. I had intended to step down at the congress in November 2020.

“But because of the Covid-19 pandemic, party elections were pushed back twice. That also extended my tenure by a further 10 months.”

Tan joined DAP in 1978. When he received his membership card the following year, he said he felt “great pride” in “finally being able to fulfil his political ambitions” with the party he had admired as a youth.

He had been on his school’s debate team and was passionate about the history of political parties. He began attending DAP functions where he found the youth of his day were full of enthusiasm about wanting to make Malaysia a better country.

“The only way to make the changes was through politics,” said Tan, who was first elected to parliament in 1986 representing the Sungai Besi seat. He defended it for a second term, until the 1995 general election when he stood in Cheras, and has been its MP till today.

Tan has also held numerous positions in the party, including publicity secretary, organising secretary and vice-chairman.

After nearly five decades, Tan still remembers the first time he stepped into the DAP headquarters, so unlike the lavish offices of certain political parties.

“It was a modest office. There was only one full-time staff member and one part-timer. I almost walked away.”

The first thing his mother said upon finding out he had joined DAP was, “Aren’t you afraid of being arrested?” 

Tan said it was a valid question because DAP members at the time faced routine intimidation by the authorities, who threatened to use on its leaders the harsh law that allows detention without trial, the Internal Security Act, which has since been repealed.

“We stood firm. I saw a lot of party comrades standing firm in the face of such adversity.”

DAP has reached the height of national politics, which is to be in federal government, and sunk to low depths again amid disunity within the Pakatan Harapan coalition and election failures in recent state polls.

But Tan said he is confident about the party’s future as it has taken care to groom future leaders, guided by its principle of investing in youth.

“I’m not worried about any break in the party. When I step down, there are plenty of people who can take over the national chairman’s post. It is the right time for me to step down.” – March 20, 2022.