PETALING JAYA: When DAP strongman Lim Kit Siang moved from Melaka to contest a seat in Penang in 1986, the get together introduced that it was making Penang a frontline state in its try and win energy and type a authorities.
It was apparent that Kit Siang was the frontrunner for the chief minister’s publish within the occasion of an election victory. Billing its marketing campaign because the “Battle of Tanjung”, the get together made main inroads and gained 10 of the 33 seats within the meeting.
According to the newly-published second quantity of his biography “Lim Kit Siang – Malaysian First” by writer Kee Thuan Chye, the DAP was buoyed by its success and made a critical bid to take over the Penang state authorities on the subsequent basic election in 1990.
For that marketing campaign, dubbed Tanjung 2, the get together shaped an alliance with the Umno splinter get together Semangat 46, shaped by Umno strongman Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah after a serious falling-out with get together president after which prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
“DAP leaders have been gung-ho about winning the state particularly after the opposition coalesced right into a united power with Semangat 46 which additionally established a separate pact with PAS and different Muslim events to type a mixed entrance,” get together leaders mentioned of the upcoming conflict. Both pacts have been headed by Razaleigh
In view of this, posters have been put up all around the state, touting Kit Siang for chief minister.
“That was the final word purpose. That’s what we had been dreaming of for years. And we thought 1990 was the very best time as Kit Siang was 49 and the Barisan Nasional chief minister for 21 years, Lim Chong Eu, was 71,” mentioned former Penang DAP strongman and strategist Gooi Hock Seng.
To present its seriousness, DAP despatched out a robust sign by pitting its prime state leaders in opposition to BN kingpins in six robust seats in a calculated transfer to attempt to type the federal government.
To lead by instance, Kit Siang did the unthinkable by going in opposition to Chong Eu in Padang Kota, the state seat within the coronary heart of George Town the place Chong Eu had been returned for 4 phrases.
Not solely that, Kit Siang was armed with a letter signed by Razaleigh, addressed to the Penang governor, saying his Gagasan Rakyat coalition was nominating the DAP chief for the chief minister’s publish.
“However, the DAP managed to win solely 14 seats which was 4 greater than the 1986 polls, though Kit Siang defeated Chong Eu comfortably. But none of its allies gained any and thus it did not type the federal government once more. It wanted 17 seats to be in energy,” mentioned a pacesetter.
“We anticipated Semangat 46 to win 4 or 5 seats however sadly the Malays pulled their hand brakes on the final minute. It was a case of so close to but thus far.”
Undeterred, DAP declared Tanjung 3, its battle to seize Penang on the 1995 basic election, regardless of the booming financial system.
Party strategists determined to painting Kit Siang as a “Robocop” who would clear up Penang, utilizing the character from a well-liked science fiction film, of an android – a human with metal and electronics components – who heartlessly crushes all lawbreakers with super-human energy and skills.
It was a catastrophe. Penang voters humiliated the DAP by returning just one assemblyman from the get together.
Kit Siang was soundly defeated in Tanjung Bungah the place he had gone to problem Gerakan chief Koh Tsu Koon, who had changed Chong Eu because the chief minister in 1990.
Another former Gerakan chief, Chia Kwang Chye, attributed DAP’s fall to its Robocop technique, which he mentioned was seen by individuals as a infantile and boastful effort.
“The DAP was attempting to create the impression of a really robust character combating in opposition to a weak character. It was type of boastful. The conceitedness was not acceptable to the individuals. I might additionally wish to say that as this was his third time contesting in Penang, the aura of Kit Siang might have subsided.”
But another leaders attributed DAP’s enormous loss to the booming financial system and Mahathir lifting a ban on visits to China.
Seputeh MP Teresa Kok mentioned many Chinese have been joyful that Malaysians may journey freely to China after Chinese voters had gone in opposition to the federal government within the 1990 basic election.
“Loads of Chinese enterprise individuals have been very joyful. Many have been additionally in a position to go and see their relations there and go to their ancestors’ graves. Many individuals have been joyful and thanked Mahathir,” she mentioned.
After the Robocop flop, Kit Siang didn’t pursue his dream of changing into chief minister or capturing Penang on the 1999 elections, which have been additionally disastrous for him and DAP.
He misplaced within the Kebun Bunga state seat and the Bukit Bendera parliamentary constituency, and moved to Ipoh Timur in Perak for the 2004 and 2008 elections, earlier than ending up in Johor for the 2013 and 2018 basic elections.
