DAP Exposes Its Weaknesses and Prejudices

The following are Malaysiakini comments from readers in response to its article titled MEDIA TICKED OFF FOR RAMKARPAL 'GAY' QUERY.

FREE YOURSAY ‘I think DAP has fallen into a trap and sadly shows itself as being prejudiced of sexual minorities.’

TEMPUA If you cannot defend yourself without using the late Bukit Gelugor MP and Ramkarpal’s father Karpal Singh’s name, you are not worth becoming a YB. How long are you and your siblings going to hide behind Karpal’s name?          

KKCheong: How you deflect the attack also shows how effective you are as an MP. I don't see how you can become a good MP if you're so sensitive?

Hafidz Baharom: It's a simple question. If you're not gay, just say you're not. To be offended by this question in this day and age, and then telling off the press for asking the question, is a big no-no.

Politicians need to step up their game and just answer diplomatically. Besides, Penang is talking about setting up a committee to assist the development for the transgender community.

For a Penang politician to be offended by this question goes to show that it is not as open as many Malaysians think it is.

For myself personally, DAP is overthinking this issue. They should have just let Bukit Gelugor candidate Ramkarpal Singh answer the question and left it alone.

To continually give this press coverage would just take away the news cycle from the policies that Ramkarpal should be promoting to be elected MP of Bukit Gelugor.

Good Men: I think the reaction from Pakatan Rakyat camp is misguided. The response should have been a simple "this has no bearing on the matter at hand".

Because truly, it does not. In actual fact, the question reflects poorly on the asker, not the person being asked. You are covering a by-election for a newspaper, not a celebrity party for gossip magazine.

But Pakatan, try chilling out a bit. The rakyat can judge. If Ram really felt he needed to answer, he could have just said, "no, I am not", and perhaps chastised the person for considering it a relevant question.

Or maybe even ask them back to explain why it is relevant.

Proarte: I think DAP has fallen into a trap and sadly shows itself as being prejudiced of sexual minorities, and paradoxically this does not do one bit to prove Ramkarpal's heterosexuality.

The correct answer should be, “No, I am not gay and what is the relevance of that question to this election campaign?”

DAP must accept the fact that a single man in his late 30s who is not married or who has not had any girlfriends, has at least a reasonable chance of being gay. That is just a fact of life. But so what? Why express such indignation at the question?

It is not a crime to be gay and as a party which claims to fight for human rights and the dignity of the rakyat, its reaction over the gay query does not reflect well on its commitment to its espoused principles.

DAP must realise that reacting in such a melodramatic way over this will raise the suspicion that Ramkarpal 'doth protest too much'.