SHAH ALAM, March 16 — DAP will relax the conditions on its elected representatives to receive awards or honours from the Rulers or Governors.
Its secretary-general Anthony Loke said the Central Executive Committee (CEC) will determine the conditions for each award offer.
The matter would be looked at on a case-by-case basis and will first need to be presented at the CEC level.
"I know this matter has been a hot issue for sometime. Previously, we had that policy but now after almost 17 years in various state and central governments, we certainly have to look back at this condition in our policy.
"It cannot be too strict because there are times when a Sultan bestowed honourary titles on our elected representatives, for example, the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj openly said that he would bestow the honourary title of ‘Datuk’ on Sekinchan (state) assemblyman Ng Suee Lim because he has served five terms (as an elected representative)," he said.
Loke was delivering his policy speech in conjunction with the 18th DAP National Congress at Shah Alam IDCC Convention Centre in Section 15 today. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is also Pakatan Harapan chairman, was in attendance.
Also present were DAP national chairman Lim Guan Eng, Pakatan secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, Parti Amanah president Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu,
United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation president Datuk Ewon Benedick, and Parti Keadilan Rakyat vice-president Senator K. Saraswathy.
Meanwhile, he said the DAP will create a mechanism to evaluate election candidates that would represent the party more systematically and transparently in dealing with any future internal party issues.
Through the mechanism, those who want to contest, especially as candidates, would know the evaluation carried out on an individual.
"Let everyone know why they were chosen or not chosen with this evaluation system. Of course, the top leadership must make decisions based on an evaluation system that all parties must accept," Loke said.
Meanwhile, he also proposed to institutionalise the Candidate Selection Committee in the party constitution so it can give legitimacy to the selection committee.
All the amendments will not be implemented today and need to be discussed and debated to find the best mechanism within 18 months from now.
"This is among the work that needs to be completed by the top executive and the new CEC and bring back (the results) for the amendment of the party constitution in the party's National Convention in 2026," Loke said.
In addition, he proposed several new positions to be included in the party constitution, namely the position of DAP Parliamentary Leader who must be appointed from among non-members of the administration, strategic director, policy director, and election director.
Similarly, there is also the proposal that the DAP Wanita chief be appointed as a permanent member of the Candidate Selection Committee in addition to the implementation of at least 30 per cent female candidates in the 16th general election.
— Bernama
