I joined the party back in 2008 leading up to the fateful 12th General Elections.

It seems not that long ago to me, as memories of the pain from sunburn on my arms and the back of my neck, and splinters in my fingers and nails from installing wooden flag poles sustained during campaign is still as vivid as though it happened yesterday.

The campaign song ‘just Change for Malaysia‘ played from low quality hailers, loud resounding chants on the ceramah circuit to deny UMNO’s 2/3 hegemony, still ring loudly in my mind at the slightest attempt to recall.

But that was 14 years ago. A fairly long time ago by anybody’s standard.

I was young, fearless, ready and eager to fight. Metaphorically and physically. In these 14 years, I have been privileged enough to have slept in both my own State EXCO office, as well as solitary jail cells; spoken to crowds of thousands as an opposition youth leader on Malaysian streets as well as in international conferences abroad as the leader of the world’s largest youth political organisation.

I have had my fair share of victimhood, treachery and betrayals; but I also have made more friends than I deserve. I have wallowed in my sorrows in the darkest depths of depression for being sidelined and back stabbed by my own comrades, but I have also tasted the sweet nectar of solidarity and togetherness when it matters the most.

I have definitely been transformed into a different and better person by these 14years. The party is also now a much more evolved, dynamic organisation, albeit much more complex party to run compared to 14 years ago.

The announcement by the party to appoint me into the CEC weighed heavily on me. Heavy because there are higher expectations than ever before- within and outside the party- as the first batch of the party’s third generation (3G) leadership.

Expectations of forming a federal government – acheived by but never shouldered any other CECs of the past. Expectations of turning the tide against a resurgent UMNO. Expectations of unprecedented numbers of separate state elections with federal elections. Expectations of an almost certain 3 corner (or more fights) across the electoral landscape. Expectation to manouveur successfully around the evermore complex and polarised socio-cultural polity. Expectation to swim uphill in the struggle to reinstill confidence in the seemingly hopeless and mutated democracy that we have.

But, heavy as it may, I am both humbled and thankful that that trust has been thrusted upon this undeserving soldier of my beloved party and the Malaysian people.

It will not be easy for my team, my family, my wife, my daughter and for me. But soldier on we must. Because we still believe in the Malaysian dream.

Thank you to my fellow CEC members and comrades across the party for . It is an honour to accept this responsibility and to continue serving 3G-DAP at the highest level.