DAP can’t seem to retain brilliant leaders: Voon

KUCHING: A former Sarawak DAP leader says the party produces brilliant politicians but unfortunately doesn’t seem to be able to retain them.

Former Batu Lintang assemblyman Voon Lee Shan claimed that since the DAP spread its wings to Sarawak in the late 70s, no fewer than 30 “brilliant” leaders have either left the party out of disillusionment or been purged by the top leadership     

Voon, who now heads Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK), was commenting on Sarawak DAP vice president and Padungan assemblyman Wong King Wei’s decision to quit his party.

He said the resignation of Wong, a person of few words, came as a shock to many.

“YB Wong is not the first leader to have resigned from the state DAP.

“DAP is like a factory. It produces many brilliant politicians and local political parties can learn from the party (on churning out brilliant leaders),” he said yesterday.

The problem with DAP is that these leaders failed to stick on with the party – they were either given the boot or they resigned on their own accord out of disillusionment, he said. 

“Or they were simply too brilliant and they inadvertently breached Rule No. 1 in politics. And when they broke Rule No. 1 they did not know how to apply Rule No. 2 to resolve the issue.

“Problems then arose and they found themselves in trouble with their leaders and comrades in the party,” he said.

(Bestselling author Robert Greene explains clearly what Rules No. 1 and 2 are in his book, The 48 Rules of Power.

Rule No. 1: Never outshine the master. When it comes to power, outshining the master is perhaps the worst mistake of all.

Rule No. 2: The key to power is the ability to judge who is best able to further your interests in all situations. Keep friends for friendship, but work with the skilled and competent.)

Voon, who claimed he was dismissed by DAP a decade ago, party heavyweights who left the party were the late MP Sim Kwang Yang and Datuk Wong Sing Nang, who was an MP and assemblyman.

Other notable leaders included Dominique Ng, Dr Ting Chik Ming, Fong Pau Teck, Edward Luak, Wong Huan Yu, Kung Ching Ching, Yap Hoi Liong

Voon said many who left DAP had moved on to other parties to continue their political struggles.

“I hope YB Wong King Wei, will make a comeback after things have cooled down.

“A young man like him surely has many things to offer for the good of Sarawak,” he said.