LIM RAPS MELAKA DAP CHIEF
‘Tey has yet to apologise for accepting Datukship’
DAP has yet to receive an apology from its Melaka chairman Datuk Tey Kok Kiew, who was awarded a Datukship by the state ruler recently, said party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.
Lim said three other DAP leaders — two from Sabah and one from Melaka — had apologised to the party, both publicly and privately for not consulting the party prior to the conferment of the awards.
They are Bemban assemblyman Wong Fort Pin, Sandakan member of parliament Stephen Wong and Tanjong Papat assemblyman Frankie Poon.
“It looks like Melaka (Tey) is the only one left who is stubborn (and refused to apologise).
“I’m not asking (DAP leaders) to return the titles — just apologise publicly and in private,” he said after attending DAP Negri Sembilan’s 18th term convention here yesterday.
Lim said DAP leaders should understand that they were not supposed to accept titles, and instead, should focus on protecting the people’s wellbeing.
“This is something that does not require ‘black and white’, and all (members) should have understood the matter.
“If, after you have ended your political career, and want to accept the award, then there shouldn’t be any problem,” he said.
Present were DAP national organising secretary and state chairman Anthony Loke and state Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia chairman Tan Sri Dr Rais Yatim.
Loke said Negri Sembilan DAP had presented a motion to stop party leaders and members from nominating their own names for the conferment of titles.
He said the stance was made as the leadership felt that they were not qualified to receive any awards.
“We are not being big-headed (by refusing to accept the awards), but we feel that our elected representatives are not qualified.
“When I say qualification (to accept the awards), it means that elected representatives carry a positive party image, have been serving for one or two terms and proven service (to show for).”
Tey refused to comment, saying that he was merely abiding by the directive issued by the party central leadership on the issue.
“On the conferment of titles, I’m complying with the directive by the central leadership and refrain from commenting on the matter,” he said in a statement issued to the New Straits Times Press.
Tey, who is Bandar Hilir assemblyman, along with Fort Pin, were awarded the Darjah Mulia Seri Melaka (DMSM) in conjunction with Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Dr Mohd Khalil Yaakob’s 80th anniversary celebration.
Sabah DAP leaders Wong and Poon were awarded the Panglima Gemilang Darjah Kinabalu (PGDK), which comes with the title “Datuk”, in conjunction with the 65th birthday celebration of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sabah, Tun Juhar Mahiruddin.