Three DAP assemblymen and one MP in Melaka quit party

MELAKA: Four DAP elected representatives in Mel aka, comprising three state assemblymen and one member of Parliament, were reported to have quit the party.

The three assemblymen involved are Lim Jak Wong (Bachang), Chin Choon Seong (Kesidang) and Goh Leong San (Duyong), while the MP is Sim Tong Him (Kota Melaka).

State DAP chairman Tey Kok Kiew said their resignations were only known through the media and Melaka DAP had not received any official announcement or letter on these resignations.

DAP Central Working Committee member, Liew Chin Tong who confirmed the matter, said their actions might be due to their dissatisfaction over their defeat in the state party elections in December, 2015.

“Their reason to quit the party is that they disagreed with DAP cooperating with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia and Tun Dr Mahathir ( Mohamad), but that might just be an excuse. Thanks for their contributions to the DAP all this while. What is important now is for DAP to continue with its struggles and to win the people’s hearts to topple the Bari san Na si on al in the 14th general election,” he told a press conference at the Melaka DAP office here yesterday.

With the actions of the four, the DAP in Melaka now has only three state seats held by Tey ( Bandar Hilir), Khoo Poay Tiong ( Ayer Keroh) and Lai Keun Ban ( Kota Laksamana), while there is no parliamentary seat left for them.

Liew said DAP would take this latest development in the party as part of its political struggles, to move forward and to work harder to win back the seats (held by the four who quit the party).

“The party is bigger than individuals and DAP’s goal is clear, to bring wellbeing to the people regardless of race,” he added. Khoo, who is opposition whip in the Melaka State Legislative Assembly, at the same press conference said it would be no problem for DAP to continue carrying the voice of the people at the coming state assembly sitting although it was left with only three seats.

“In the 2013 party state elections, I lost but I did not resort to such action (quitting the party) for the love of the party and remained in it,” he said. — Bernama

MELAKA: The DAP has for the past two to three years, deviated from its original struggles, claimed Kesidang assemblyman Chin Choong Seong.

Chin, who quit the party yesterday, said what attracted him to DAP was its struggle for a ‘Malaysian Malaysia’ but what he was seeing now was the complete opposite.

“What we are seeing now is that in order to win Malay support, DAP is following what MCA is doing. We must not try to, they try to accommodate the Malay community.

“I think this is a dangerous approach in order to win Malay support,” he told reporters here yesterday.

Besides Chin, the other assemblymen who quit DAP are Lim Jak Wong ( Bachang) and Goh Leong San ( Duyong), as well as Kota Melaka member of Parliament, Sim Tong Him.

Sim, meanwhile, said that after due consideration and serious thought he had lost confidence and was greatly disappointed with the DAP leadership, especially their secretary-general Lim Guan Eng in handling internal and external party issues.

“I cannot accept and go along with the stand and so- called new political alignment the DAP has taken lately. DAP has moved away to a new direction and new political alignment and I cannot go along with that,” said Sim.

Lim said his decision to quit DAP was not made hastily and they made the decision together after careful and due consideration.

“I believe my decision will have people judging me and lead to various reactions. I will not blame them because they don’t understand what we are feeling.

“Last time when people criticised DAP, I would defend the image of DAP. But today I have made this decision without heartache,” he said. — Bernama