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Why I support Dyana Sofya

— Ong Kian Ming
The Malay Mail Online
May 24, 2014

MAY 24 — I have the privilege of knowing Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud, DAP’s candidate for the parliamentary seat of Teluk Intan, for more than a year. During this time I have found her to be a resourceful, intelligent, diligent and very capable young lady with a bright future ahead of her. I have been inspired by her youthful idealism and energy. I am confident that if elected, she will make the Teluk Intan voters proud to have her as their Member of Parliament. Here are three reasons why I support her candidacy in Teluk Intan.

Firstly, she has shown her ability to think critically and independently on a number of important national issues. And she has demonstrated her ability to defend these her positions despite facing vicious attacks from her detractors. For example, in September 2013, she suggested that poor non-Malays should be given an opportunity to study in a tertiary institution that is similar to UiTM, which was set up with the specific purpose of helping Bumiputeras from disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue higher education opportunities. Even though she did not ask for UiTM to be opened up to non-Malays, she was attacked by many high ranking officials and politicians including an Umno Selangor leader and former Minister, Datuk Noh Omar, and the Vice Chancellor of UiTM, Tan Sri Prof Dr Sahol Hamid Abu Bakar.I doubt that many MPs would have stood their ground the way Dyana did in the face of all these attacks. She remained unfazed and steadfast.

Later on, she was not afraid to point out the ludicrousness of a proposal to make UiTM into a ‘Royal’ university in order to ‘protect’ its Bumiputera status especially since one arm of UiTM – INTEC – is already open to non-Bumiputeras.

She is clearly not afraid of calling out top BN-Umno leaders whether it is asking Home Minister, Zahid Hamidi, not to make Malaysia a laughing stock when accusing Mat Sabu of being involved in the Shia movement with any concrete evidence or reminding the former IGP, Tan Sri Hanif Omar, that Dr Mahathir himself had questioned and criticized the Malays. Continue reading “Why I support Dyana Sofya”

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In Teluk Intan, everyone wants a piece of DAP’s Dyana (VIDEO)

by Boo Su-Lyn
The Malay Mail Online
May 24, 2014

TELUK INTAN, May 24 ― While paparazzi had hounded Princess Diana to death, DAP’s Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud has been tailed by voters in Teluk Intan clamouring to take photographs with her instead.

At walkabouts in night markets at Taman Manik and Taman Desa Bakti in Changkat Jong yesterday, the 26-year-old candidate for the Teluk Intan by-election was stopped almost every few minutes by people of all ages and races wanting to take pictures and selfies with her.

“She’s awesome! She’s beautiful! She’s good!” Syuhada Wandi, a 24-year-old clerk, gushed to The Malay Mail Online at the Taman Desa Bakti night market after posing with Dyana Sofya for a picture.

Dyana Sofya with her rosy apple cheeks and long black hair, was accompanied by DAP members who handed out posters detailing her past experience as a law graduate from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) and political secretary to DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang, as well as her political philosophy.

DAP campaign workers also gave out round stickers bearing various images of Dyana Sofya, such as one of her in a party uniform, hair uncovered, and another of her donning a purple selendang and baju kurung.

Many people at both night markets, which were patronised mostly by Malays, could be seen wearing the stickers on their shirts.

After taking a photograph with Dyana Sofya, machine operator Gurmit Kaur told The Malay Mail Online that the DAP candidate was a talented young woman.

“We like her,” Gurmit told The Malay Mail Online. Continue reading “In Teluk Intan, everyone wants a piece of DAP’s Dyana (VIDEO)”

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Fearful of losing Teluk Intan Malays, Umno works to counter Dyana’s charm (VIDEO)

by Boo Su-Lyn
The Malay Mail Online
May 24, 2014

TELUK INTAN, May 24 ― Fear of ceding even a little of its Malay support to DAP’s Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud has pushed Umno to work feverishly on convincing the community ― often deemed a secure Barisan Nasional (BN) vote bank – that the young Malay woman’s physical appeal is not what Teluk Intan needs.

The Chinese-majority federal seat has just under 22,000 Malay voters, or 38 per cent of the electorate, but losing Malay votes to the Chinese-dominated DAP could prove an embarrassing defeat for the ruling party that has now poured much of its resources into the historic Perak township.

Changkat Jong assemblyman Datuk Mohd Azhar Jamaluddin, who also heads the Teluk Intan Umno division, said the party machinery has been working till 3am for the past few days in the Malay-majority Changkat Jong state seat.

“I don’t deny that the youth or the Malays may be influenced by the DAP candidate,” Azhar told The Malay Mail Online in an interview at his service centre here.

“Young people are inconsistent. Sometimes, they’re interested in attractive candidates, at other times, responsible candidates. So we must tell them that if they choose wrongly, they’ll suffer because it’ll be very difficult to get development and job opportunities,” he added.

At 38 per cent, the Malays of Teluk Intan are considered a sizeable vote bank behind the Chinese, who form 42 per cent of the 60,349-strong electorate. The Indians make up 19 per cent. Continue reading “Fearful of losing Teluk Intan Malays, Umno works to counter Dyana’s charm (VIDEO)”

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Dyana Sofya, dimensi politik baharu

– Shamiel Fikri Ishak
The Malaysian Insider
May 23, 2014

Jika cinta digambarkan sebagai buta. Tidak memandang pada nama, warna, dan darjat. Demikian dimensi baru yang digambarkan oleh politik Malaysia.

Sejak nama Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud muncul sebagai salah satu watak dalam parti politik DAP, dan negara Malaysia amnya, politik baru yang tergambar adalah politik yang buta.

Buta pada perbezaan, buta pada darjat, buta pada penilaian bangsa, buta daripada sikap perkauman. Maka buta sebegini lebih mulia daripada celik. Celik yang menilai kemuliaan dengan bangsa, celik menilai parti dengan sikap perkauman, celik yang memandang pada perbezaan dan kelemahan.

Kata seorang penulis dan tokoh pemikir Amerika, Mark Twain:”Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”

Ya, kebaikan mampu didengari oleh orang yang pekak, hatta bisa dilihat oleh seorang manusia yang buta.

Watak Dyana Sofya yang muncul dalam parti DAP menggambarkan satu dimensi politik baru. DAP yang terkenal dengan parti rakyat berbangsa Cina rupanya tidak pandang pada bangsa. Manakala calon BN yang bertanding di Teluk Intan bersamanya, Datuk Mah Siew Keong sendiri inginkan politik dan persaingan yang matang. Continue reading “Dyana Sofya, dimensi politik baharu”

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Can the Dyana phenomenon last?

Josh Hong
Malaysiakini
May 23, 2014

DAP’s decision to field Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud as the candidate for the Teluk Intan by-election is not only bold, but epoch-making. More than merely a window-dressing to showcase the party’s multi-racial credentials, the move has changed the dynamics of the campaign in that the party is now directly competing against Umno, the Barisan Nasional’s lynchpin and a world-renowned racist entity, relegating the (even more) Chinese-based Gerakan to insignificance.

In many ways, DAP remains very much rooted in its Chinese constituency – just look at the rousing public speeches – albeit imbued with populism – by Hew Kuan Yew, popularly known as Superman, and the triumphal reception that greets him in Chinese-majority areas.

But the party has begun to demonstrate more and more resolve to become a broad church (I bet some ill-educated and incurious Umno members would scream at the word ‘church’ and the idiom), and now boasts an army of young blood, of whom many are also female professionals, Dyana being just the latest addition.

Moreover, DAP has always maintained the loyal support of the Indian community to a considerable extent, thanks perhaps to the late P Patto, V David and Karpal Singh who did much to prevent the party from becoming parochial and ethnicised.

Dyana is of course not the first Malay candidate on a DAP ticket, but her being a young woman usually without a tudung and, most shocking to Umno, hailing from a true-blue Umno family background, has been portrayed as an original sin by the Malay press.

All hell broke loose and we have seen a stunned Umno dispatch its ruffians to wreak havoc at DAP. Expect more to come as the by-election campaign is gearing into full force in the coming week. Continue reading “Can the Dyana phenomenon last?”

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Dyana says she’d rather be called a traitor than be involved in dirty politics

by Hasbullah Awang Chik
The Malaysian Insider
May 23, 2014

Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud is willing to be declared a traitor for contesting on a DAP ticket rather than get involved with the dirty politics practised by Umno and Barisan Nasional.

The Teluk Intan by-election candidate said she agreed with what former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said about Umno.

Malaysia’s longest serving prime minister said that Umno’s failure to attract professionals to the Malay party had caused many to turn their backs on it.

“Dr Mahathir had said that Malays were smart in joining Pakatan Rakyat. He is correct,” Dyana said.

“After that he calls us traitors. Wow, that’s rich.” Continue reading “Dyana says she’d rather be called a traitor than be involved in dirty politics”

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‘Do it again and DAP HQ will burn’

Lee Long Hui
Malaysiakini
May 22, 2014

Umno Youth members issued a fiery warning to DAP, threatening to torch the party headquarters in Kuala Lumpur if its elected representatives hurled insults again.

Angry shouts of “let’s burn it down” and “kill them” rang out at a protest outside the building when Federal Territory Umno Youth chief Mohd Razlan Mohd Rafii asked if submitting a memorandum was sufficient.

He then warned DAP that the next insult would invite a “catastrophic” response. Continue reading “‘Do it again and DAP HQ will burn’”

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Call on the people of Teluk Intan to protect Dyana Sofya from the wiles of UMNO/BN who want to break her political will and fighting spirit with lies and falsehoods in the way they have succeeded in destroying DAP and other Opposition leaders in the past

I fully agree with Sin Chew columnist Ng Miew Luan who in her article today gave three reasons for UMNO’s strong reaction to Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud as DAP candidate for Teluk Intan by-election causing the Wanita Umno leader, Datuk Shahrizat Jalil, UMNO Youth leader, Khairy Jamaluddin and even former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad to open fire on her.

These three factors are firstly, UMNO stagnates in the struggle of mono-racial politics and paternalistic leadership and has not been able to change with the times; secondly, UMNO equates itself with the government; and thirdly, UMNO equates itself with the nation; and it is this inability to differentiate party from nation in its political operations which have caused negative consequences.

There is today a very perceptive opinion piece “Arise, the Malay that Umno fears” in The Malaysian Insider by Umran Kadir, who wrote:

“The entry of Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud onto the political scene has been met by an unprecedented and sustained attack by some of the biggest guns in Umno: an Umno Supreme Council member, the head of Wanita Umno and none other than Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad himself.

“But why is a political novice like her deserving of so much attention by the powers-that-be?

“I would argue that it is because she represents everything that Umno does not want the Malays to be – capable, confident and unshackled. Continue reading “Call on the people of Teluk Intan to protect Dyana Sofya from the wiles of UMNO/BN who want to break her political will and fighting spirit with lies and falsehoods in the way they have succeeded in destroying DAP and other Opposition leaders in the past”

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Why Malays have joined DAP (and Pakatan)

By SYERLEENA RASHID | Malaysiakini
May 22, 2014

There are a lot of speculations roaming around as to why DAP decided to field “newcomer” Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud as a candidate in Teluk Intan. To most she is seen as a protege, while those who are still unable to fathom her decision to join DAP have begun their personal campaign to destroy her image and credibility.

As a matter of fact, any Malay candidate would have been subjected to certain levels of political animosity and slander. In the past, other Malay candidates had gone through the same maltreatment and been imperiled by vicious threats made by the ultra-right wing hate groups.

Being relatively young (compared to the average age of our Members of Parliament) and beautiful (though beauty is subjective) makes her an easy target, but the naysayers have underestimated this intelligent lass; Dyana Sofya is the face of hope and will bring forth much-needed change to this country.

Of course, at this stage, Malaysians are aware of how vicious the powers-that-be can be when they have an agenda to accomplish, and these past few weeks leading up to her nomination, they have proven to us again, just how uncouth they are capable of being.

For decades, DAP has been labelled a ‘Chinese party’ and accused of being chauvinists. It is undeniable that Malaysians of Chinese descent make up the majority of party members but that is merely coincidental as a direct result of Umno’s Malay-centric policies. Some might even say that years of disseminating misinformation via government-controlled media influenced our political views and distorted our logic. Continue reading “Why Malays have joined DAP (and Pakatan)”

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Let’s do away with sexism and build a respectful nation

By Dr Sharifah Halimah Jaafar | TMI
MAY 21, 2014

The blatant act of disrespect on women and sexist messages by various groups to demean them during the Teluk Intan by-election campaign are unacceptable in a society which aims to become a developed nation.

The hoots and wolf whistles that drown out Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud, the DAP’s Teluk Intan candidate, by the predominantly male crowd at the nomination centre a few days ago for the gift of her physical appearance, are very regrettable. Our society at large is still unable to recognise and respect women for their calibre, strength and capability, to become leaders just as men.

It is also shameful that certain parties tried to humiliate Dyana by spreading the photos of a bikini-clad actress resembling her on the internet, purportedly portray her as a “bad” Muslim.

No doubt Dyana Sofya is young and beautiful, but what stands out about her is her intelligence, professionalism, confidence, courage, determination and passion to fight what she believes is right, despite the odds and the storms that come her way.

In a nutshell, this young lady has all the essence of a good leader with integrity and commitment for the rakyat, but it is a pity that narrow minded men see her as a sex object. Continue reading “Let’s do away with sexism and build a respectful nation”

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Arise, the Malay that Umno fears

– Umran Kadir
The Malaysian Insider
May 21, 2014

Sheriff John Brown always hated me

For what I don’t know

Ev’ry time I plant a seed

He said, “Kill it before it grows.”

He said, “Kill them before they grow.” – Bob Marley, I Shot the Sheriff

The entry of Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud onto the political scene has been met by an unprecedented and sustained attack by some of the biggest guns in Umno: an Umno Supreme Council member, the head of Wanita Umno and none other than Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad himself.

But why is a political novice like her deserving of so much attention by the powers-that-be?

I would argue that it is because she represents everything that Umno does not want the Malays to be – capable, confident and unshackled. Continue reading “Arise, the Malay that Umno fears”

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Five reasons Malaysians should be grateful to Umno

COMMENTARY BY THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER
MAY 21, 2014

It is that silly season again, when Umno gets in a tizzy over more evidence that its grand-sounding statement that Umno is Malay and Malay is Umno is just that, a statement and nothing more.

That umbilical cord between Umno and the Malays was cut a long time ago. And yet they still pretend to be the vanguard of the Malays.

Now, they are feigning indignation that Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud is contesting the Teluk Intan by-election on a DAP ticket. She has been called an ingrate and a traitor. The sheer hypocrisy of the name-callers who tell Malaysians that we should be forever grateful to them.

In keeping with the Umno spirit, the Malaysian Insider offers five reasons we must “tabik” Umno politicians. Continue reading “Five reasons Malaysians should be grateful to Umno”

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Zaid: ‘Gutter politics’ in Teluk Intan puts Malaysia in Indonesia’s shade

The Malay Mail Online
MAY 21, 2014

KUALA LUMPUR, May 21 — Umno’s personal attacks against DAP candidate Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud despite the party’s claims of upholding Islam exposes the violent political culture dominating Malaysia, said Datuk Zaid Ibrahim.

Comparing the tone in Teluk Intan with Indonesia’s recent presidential election, the former Cabinet minister noted that campaigning in the neighbouring country remained civil despite the much higher stakes.

In the minor Malaysian by-election, however, Zaid pointed out that Dyana Sofya has come in for all manner of personal attacks from rival Umno, who have labelled her a traitor to the party, a sell-out to her people, and a puppet of the DAP, among others.

“To put it simply, Indonesia has progressed in many ways in their quest to build a nation with values all Indonesians share as a people — but in Malaysia, the Malays seem to be going backwards.

“Perhaps the great success of the New Economic Policy (NEP) has somehow made Malays ‘different’,” Zaid wrote on his blog yesterday. Continue reading “Zaid: ‘Gutter politics’ in Teluk Intan puts Malaysia in Indonesia’s shade”

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Alumni UiTM mudah lupa

By Ahmad Tempe
MAY 21, 2014 | TMI

Henry A Kissinger pernah menyebut “university politics are vicious precisely because the stakes are too small”. Ini membawa erti yang politik di universiti itu ganas kerana pertaruhannya kecil.

Tidak perlu cari mat kaki demo atau “pemberontak” seperti Khalid Ismath jika mahu mentafsirkan “keganasan” politik di Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM). Cukup sekadar kita temuramah mat-mat kaki “dating” atau mat “dota” dan mereka akan menjawab: “Ala, UiTM ni kita kena sokong kerajaan (baca:Umno/BN), kalau tidak susah kita nanti.”

Hari ini, Persatuan Alumni UiTM Malaysia secara tiba-tiba lantang mengingatkan calon DAP Teluk Intan, Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud supaya berhenti menggunakan nama UiTM dalam tujuan kempen kerana UiTM sepatutnya “bebas”. Tulisan ini bukanlah bertujuan untuk membela atau mengangkat si Dyana.

Saya juga bukanlah hendak menjadi batu api atau bertelagah dengan geng-geng alumni ini. Tetapi, hendak bebas itu bebas yang bagaimana?

Semua orang tahu UiTM mempunyai “pusat latihan tidak rasmi Umno”. Siapa tidak tahu proses untuk menjadi calon Majlis Perwakilan Pelajar (MPP) UiTM pun ketat? Mesti mesra kerajaan? Hendak berahsia bagaimana lagi?

Sebelum ini pun UiTM pernah menjadi medan kempen bagi Umno/BN apabila Datuk Seri Najib Razak hadir untuk berucap serta menabur janji kepada mahasiswa UiTM di samping menjamu makanan enak-enak (baca: KFC). Continue reading “Alumni UiTM mudah lupa”

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Marina: Dyana is three-up on most politicians

Malaysiakini
May 21, 2014

Social activist Marina Mahathir has commended Teluk Intan DAP by-election candidate Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud ,saying she is a smart girl who can think.

“She can articulate. She can write. That’s three up over most politicians already,” she said in a Facebook posting.

Marina was commenting on Dyana’s response in an article to a comment made by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Razali Ibrahim, who had taken the Teluk Intan by-election DAP candidate’s to task over criticism on her alma mater and asking her why she did not criticise Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman.

Commenting further on Facebook in reply to her followers, Marina said very few top politicians write their own speeches let alone articles.

“In any case, why are people against her because she is young?” she asked. Continue reading “Marina: Dyana is three-up on most politicians”

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Siapa mengkhianati siapa?

– Sakmongkol AK47
The Malaysian Insider
MAY 20, 2014

Tidak syak lagi Umno bankrap modal untuk bahan kempen di Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Teluk Intan.

Malam tadi, ada desas-desus Umno atau penyokong mereka akan sebar video ibu calon bercium dengan lelaki. Inikah yang terbaik dapat Umno lakukan?

Tapi kepala biul Umno, mereka akan lakukan apa sahaja untuk menang.

Tidak ada yang mustahil dengan parti yang lebih rela berkawan dengan syaitan daripada malaikat.

Yang bertanding ialah anak, yang jadi mangsa ialah emaknya.

Ini betul-betul macam perlakuan golongan feudal zaman dahulu, jika anak dituduh bersalah, habis satu keluarga dimusnahkan.

Perbuatan yang Umno lakukan sama seperti yang dilakukan oleh golongan feudal zaman dahulu, disebabkan fakta bahawa Umno itu sebetulnya, sebuah parti politik feudal. Continue reading “Siapa mengkhianati siapa?”

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Why is Dyana Sofya a threat to Umno?

COMMENTARY BY THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER
May 20, 2014

It is just supposed to be a parliamentary by-election but the battle for Teluk Intan is now between Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud and Umno, which appears to be rattled by her candidacy on a DAP ticket.

She has apparently struck fear in several Umno leaders, from Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil – who have all castigated the political novice for not joining Umno.

Even Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali has thrown his soiled fingers into the fray, urging Gerakan to use a photograph of him together with the 27-year-old DAP candidate as campaign fodder.

But Gerakan has refused to use the photograph as part of the campaign by their president Datuk Mah Siew Keong, the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for the May 31 by-election.

So why is Umno so afraid of the young UiTM law graduate, whose mother is an Umno member? Several reasons come to mind. Continue reading “Why is Dyana Sofya a threat to Umno?”

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She’s like Marina, mom turns tables on Dr M

Malaysiakini
May 20, 2014

Turning the tables on Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud’s mother puts the former premier’s Umno parenting skill under the microscope.

Peppered with liberal doses of sarcasm, Yammy Samat said her daughter turned out more like Mahathir’s daughter Marina, a social activist whose views often contradict that of her father’s.

“I tried teaching her to be like Mukhriz, but when she grew up she became like Marina,” she was quoted as saying by Astro Awani.

Mukriz, who is Mahathir’s son, is currently the Kedah menteri besar and state Umno liaison committee chairperson.

Furthermore, Yammy, a long-term Umno member, said that she has given her daughter the freedom to choose between right and wrong. Continue reading “She’s like Marina, mom turns tables on Dr M”

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29-year-old PKR exco, a UiTM graduate, launches impassioned defence of Dyana

by Himanshu Bhatt
fz.com
May 20, 2014

GEORGE TOWN (May 20): PKR’s Dr Afif Bahardin, who at 29 is the youngest state executive councillor in the country, launched a vigorous defence of aspiring lawmaker Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud today after she had been reportedly attacked by rival politicians from Umno for supposedly betraying Malays by joining DAP.

Speaking at the Penang state assembly, Afif in particular hit out at suggestions that Dyana, 27, had become such a betrayer as she graduated from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM).

Like Dyana, Afif is also a graduate of UiTM, having obtained his medical degree there in 2009. He also won the Seberang Jaya seat last year when he was about the same age as Dyana is now in contesting the Teluk Intan parliamentary by-election.

“I am a product of UiTM… Youths like Dyana and I are from UiTM and we are active the way we are because we are fed up with Umno-Barisan Nasional,” he said. Continue reading “29-year-old PKR exco, a UiTM graduate, launches impassioned defence of Dyana”