DAP founding member Dr Chen Man Hin has expressed unhappiness over the party’s decision to drop its iconic rocket logo in the 14th General Election in Peninsular Malaysia.
DAP has been using the logo since it contested in the 1969 General Election.
“I feel discouraged. We have been using the logo in our struggle. The rocket represents DAP’s position,” he told Sin Chew Daily today.
Dr Chen, who was a five-term Seremban member of parliament, said he had tried to contact DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang to discuss the issue.
“I don’t understand why DAP’s central executive committee made the decision. Instead of calling this a sacrifice, why not call it a strategy?”
Chen was referring to earlier statements by party leaders who deem the act a “sacrifice” that DAP had to make to secure a bigger win at the polls with its partner parties in Pakatan Harapan (PH) and form the next government.
He warned that a new logo might confuse DAP’s older supporters.
However, Dr Chen, who recorded his view in an email to Kit Siang and his son, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, said he would not interfere in party affairs.
PH chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is expected to unveil the opposition pact’s common logo in Pasir Gudang, Johor, tonight.
Meanwhile, an online news portal quoted Kit Siang as saying that Chen was not alone in his unhappiness over the party’s decision to drop the logo.
He said, in a statement today, that the pain was shared by party leaders, supporters and members.
He said it was “a “most painful and heart-wrenching” decision but stressed that it was necessary because PH component parties had to use a common logo to project unity.
“We want to not only ensure that individual candidates and DAP can win in the 14th general election, we also want to ensure that all PH candidates and all the four component parties can win (to form the next Federal Government).
“The suggestion that PKR, Parti Amanah Negara and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia use a common PH logo while DAP keeps its rocket logo is not a viable option, for we must convey to voters the inspiring message that all four parties are united as one political force,” he said.