Former leaders of Pakatan Rakyat coalition partners believe that the DAP should accept defeat gracefully, stop blaming others and conduct some soul-searching following their loss in Teluk Intan by-election.

Former leaders of Pakatan Rakyat coalition partners believe that the DAP should accept defeat gracefully, stop blaming others and conduct some soul-searching following their loss in Teluk Intan by-election.

Tunku Aziz Tunku Ibrahim, former DAP vice chairman who was once hailed as a towering Malaysian for joining the party told The Mole it is time for DAP to quit being arrogant and admit that the party’s loss was due to their own wrongdoing.

He said: “Instead of blaming voters’ turnout, or the day the election was held, the DAP should accept that it is their arrogance that caused them to lose Teluk Intan.”

“They think voters are stupid...that they can put any candidate they want and locals will just follow their game. In this by-election it is most obvious that they thought putting Dyana as a candidate, they could deceive voters, especially Malays that the DAP is a multi-racial party.”

DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang in a statement on Sunday said that DAP, together with its candidate Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud could have won the by-election if one per cent or 400 outstation voters returned to vote on Saturday.

Lim also said: “Or if the Teluk Intan by-election polling had been held today, a Sunday, which would enable more outstation voters to make the journey back to Teluk Intan to vote, the result would have been very different.”

A blog post at Life of Annie also criticised Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng for having lack of dignity in handling the defeat.

Commenting further, Tunku Aziz said: “It’s typical of the DAP to have not attributed any mistakes to themselves.”

“In fact, I will be very surprised if they do not blame anybody (for their loss).”

“They are really good at making excuses without taking a hard look at themselves. Is this the quality of leadership we want to see for our nation? They have yet to show any accountability for their mistakes.”

Former Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) deputy president and academic Dr Chandra Muzaffar said that the DAP should come to terms on their defeat.

“I hope the DAP does some soul-searching to come to their senses and see what went wrong with their strategy in Teluk Intan.”

“They also need to realise that the subtle communal game they have been playing does not mean it will favour them all the time.”

Dr Chandra said the DAP has been getting support based on arguments that the Indians and Chinese have been marginalised and accorded second class treatment in the country.

“They have been using the psychology of victimhood which isn’t based on facts. It’s not right; it is disastrous to our country.”

However, Dr Chandra believed DAP’s loss in Teluk Intan could be attributed to the fact that voters are not convinced with Dyana Sofya’s candidacy as well as the hudud issue shrouding Pas and the DAP.

“Despite denying that the DAP will support hudud, it has failed to convince the voters whether this issue will be resolved.”

“I believe voters are also becoming realistic. They know returning to vote will not bring much change to current political scenario unlike during last year’s general election.”

On former PKR leader Datuk Zaid Ibrahim's contention that Dyana's loss was due to uneven level playing field in the election, Dr Chandra said: "I do not think it's a fair observation. It's the same Election Commission which conducted the election in Bukit Gelugor, where the DAP won with big majority."

"It's not fair to blame the system when you lose, and say nothing when you win."

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