‘DAP should hold CEC re-election via national congress’
PUTRAJAYA: Two DAP delegates yesterday urged the party to hold its upcoming Central Executive Committee (CEC) re-election through a national congress and not a special congress.
Taman Ehsan, Klang, DAP vicechief L. Paneerselvam said the decision to hold it through a special congress was an abrupt one and done without consulting the party’s delegates.
Paneerselvam and former DAP Bagan Luar branch chief G. Asoghan was met after submitting a memorandum to representatives of the Registry of Societies (RoS) and Home Ministry to intervene and resolve the issue.
“The last CEC election was done based on a national congress. Why is the re-election done through special congress?” he asked.
“We also want to know why RoS has agreed to this. As delegates, we deserve to know why the sudden change and what is the rationale behind it,” said Paneerselvam.
He noted that Clause 8, Article 8 of the DAP Constitution stipulated that a special congress was held to discuss specific matters and not for election purposes.
“It is clearly stated in the constitution that elections should not be held through special congresses. Have there been any amendments in the constitution that allow elections to be done through special congress? If yes, then why weren’t the delegates informed?”
Asoghan questioned DAP’s failure to provide at least a 10week notice to members on the CEC re-election, which he said was required under the party’s constitution.
“We have delegates from all over the country. We need the 10week period to be able to reach out to them.”
He demanded DAP publish a list of 2,576 party members who were still alive and those who had pulled out from the election.
“The delegates will not accept (national organising secretary) Anthony Loke’s statement that he had received 500 letters from delegates saying they will not be voting in the CEC re-election.
“In order to ensure that the CEC election is carried out in accordance with the party’s constitution, we urge the RoS to monitor the party, including the list of valid delegates.”