A member of the DAP leadership has played down calls for the party to sever ties with Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh over his actions in the Jalur Gemilang issue, but promises that the matter will be discussed by the top leadership.
DAP central executive committee member V Papparaidu said it would be unrealistic to expect the party to cut ties with Akmal without affecting its wider relationship with Umno, which could hamper the stability of the unity government, of which Umno is a key partner.
“Political relationships are complex and interconnected, and any action we take must be carefully weighed so as not to jeopardise broader cooperation and stability,” he told FMT.
Nonetheless, Papparaidu said he would ensure that the proposal, raised by the Penang and Negeri Sembilan DAP Youth, would be brought to the CEC.
“Every view from the grassroots is valuable, and it is important that such perspectives are given a proper platform. However, we always follow our secretary-general’s guidance and advice to ensure our party’s discipline is maintained at all times,” he said.
He urged DAP Youth leaders to keep calm and be patient since Akmal was already under police investigation over a Facebook video concerning the flag issue, in which he allegedly made statements that could disrupt public peace.
Akmal is under investigation for sedition and criminal intimidation over the video, which is related to a hardware shop owner in Penang who accidentally hung the Jalur Gemilang upside down.
Akmal laughed off the threat to sever ties with him and dared DAP to do so, saying such a move would inadvertently mean ending its relationship with Umno.
FMT has sought comment from DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook.
Papparaidu said all politicians should let the police take the lead on the issue. He, nonetheless, took a swipe at Akmal for warning about taking things into his own hands if no punitive action is taken on the hardware shop owner.
“Akmal has attempted to pressure the police by setting an arbitrary time frame for action, which can be interpreted as a threat against the authorities.
“It is important that we continue to uphold the rule of law, respect due process, and maintain discipline in our political actions,” said Papparaidu, who is a Selangor executive councillor.
