‘Another two senior DAP leaders expected to quit party soon’

Another two senior DAP leaders are expected to quit the party soon, less than 48 hours after four Malacca DAP leaders announced their resignation, said former DAP vice chairman Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim.

“One from Selangor and one from Johor. Both very senior leaders. When? Very soon. The walk-out has been talked about in the political circle for a long time. This is the beginning of the fall of DAP.

“I believe the number wil l increase. People are beginning to open their eyes. They are very angry at the sudden turn around after the cooperation with once sworn- enemy Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“Just imagine, Mahathi r during his tenure put a lot of DAP members in Kamunting Detention Centre under the Internal Security Act and suddenly you form a cooperation with him? They cannot accept this thing,” he told Bernama yesterday.

Four Malacca DAP leaders, comprising three assemblymen Lim Jak Wong ( Bachang), Chin Choon Seong ( Kesidang) and Goh Leong San ( Duyong), and Kota Melaka MP Sim Tong Him had jointly announced their resignations as DAP members on Sunday.

They claimed they had lost confidence in the party as well as being disappointed with DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng over the party’s close ties with Tun Dr Mahathir.

Tunku Abdul Aziz pointed out that the walk-out in DAP could be seen as a virus which would grow and spread to become a disease that eventually would affect the party’s leadership, opposition pact and their preparation for the next general election.

“Internally, DAP is very weak right now. The party leadership or so- called ‘ Lim Dynasty’ will fall. The Malacca resignation is a starter, it took something to trigger. DAP has been shakened.

“This is why you should not always blame others and should accept your faults. People, members, supporters are unhappy. You never care and listen to them although you claim ‘ room for all views’ which is clearly rhetoric. It’s time for you to take the punishment,” he said.

Meanwhile, former DAP national vice-chairman Zulkifli Mohd Noor also hinted the same thing saying that the DAP was now in the midst of disintegration with more members and leaders expected to quit the party soon.

He said this was because the dissatisfied group had lost their patience with the top party leadership who were seen to be no longer relevant to the party’s struggles including making numerous decisions for personal interests.

“They want to criticise the party but they had to face action. So they can see, can listen but cannot speak nor criticise. They were hoping for changes after the DAP’s success in the 2008 general election by capturing Penang and forming a strong coalition in the state but the DAP struggles has changed.

“Although there are only four individuals now, it must be remembered that they are of high calibre and have wide experience regarding the DAP and formed the backbone for the DAP struggles in Melaka,” he said.

Zulkifli, who is also president of the People’s Alternative Party ( PAP), said what was happening in Melaka would be a bad dream for the DAP’s preparations for the 14th general election soon.