The Dyana effect

– Philip Yong
The Malaysian Insider
2 June 2014

So Dyana Sofya, the DAP candidate for Teluk Intan’s by-election, lost to Gerakan president Mah Siew Kong. It was a close fight. I am sure it was heartbreaking for her and many other opposition leaders, volunteers and caring Malaysians who campaigned day in day out. This article is written especially for those who have fought hard in this battle.

There are already so many articles out there that are negative, so I thought I should write something that will uplift the spirits of all who strive for a better Malaysia.

Well, Dyana, if I am a voter in Teluk Intan, I would have voted for you. For very logical reasons.

1. I personally believe that DAP made the right choice by fielding a young lady like you. You are educated, smart, energetic, clean and most importantly you embody a true Malaysian. A Malaysian who fights for all Malaysians. A Malaysian who cares for all Malaysians.

2. DAP showed their courage in risking a “safe” seat for a better Malaysia. This is something we have not seen in Malaysia for a very long time. I was quite emotional when I first thought about this. I thought to myself that there are actually people who are not selfish for once. They know they were taking a big risk but yet they still did it because they knew it was a right move and I have to agree it was a brilliant move. Like the saying goes, we lost the battle but won the war. It was all done for a better Malaysia.

3. Some people said that Dyana was made a scapegoat in this by-election. I blame the education system in our country for these people’s illogical thinking. Come on guys, do you think an intelligent person like Dyana is so stupid as to be made a scapegoat? People should be congratulating her for her courage and will to fight on till the very end. And the fact is that Teluk Intan was just the beginning of Dyana. So to all the naysayers, expect to see more of Dyana and also more of others who are inspired by Dyana.

4. YB Lim Kit Siang is a hero to me. I read somewhere that YB camped in Teluk Intan throughout the campaign period. I was very moved by this. We all know that YB Kit Siang is getting old but yet look at him, the fire in him for a better Malaysia still burns so strongly.

A young person like me would have been worn out in a campaign like this so imagine the pain YB had to go through and think to ourselves why is he doing it? I know for sure he does all these for us, the generation who will the leaders of tomorrow.

5. I’ve been talking about a better Malaysia but what really is a better Malaysia? A better Malaysia to me is a place where all Malaysians are treated equally. A place where race, religion and age are not barriers to us but serves as a guide for us to form a better relationship with one another. This is really what I hope to see in the near future. I maybe be a little too ambitious but there is no harm to dream big.

I sincerely thank everyone who were involved in Dyana’s Teluk Intan move. It was brilliant and it gave hope to us ordinary Malaysians knowing that we have leaders who are ambitious and daring enough to take risks for a better Malaysia.