Departure of DAP state leaders described as ‘good riddance’

PETALING JAYA: DAP lawmakers are scoffing at the departure of four of its state leaders in Malacca, with one even calling it “good riddance”.

Saying that he personally welcomed their departure, acting DAP national chairman Tan Kok Wai claimed the four were merely “seeking a scapegoat” for their errors.

“For me, I see the whole issue as a way of saying good riddance. They are seeking a scapegoat. So, they use whatever excuse they can find to quit,” he said here yesterday.

On the apology by the four leaders for campaigning for PAS in the last general election, Tan, also Cheras MP, said it was a “cunning” statement to make.

“I would describe them as malignant tumours. So their departure is good for the party,” he said.

DAP national organising secretary and Seremban MP Anthony Loke said the four had always had differences with the party’s central leadership.

He said the central leadership’s relationship with Kota Melaka MP Sim Tong Him, assemblymen Goh Leong San, Lim Jak Wong and Chin Choong Seong was further strained after both Sim and Goh were suspended on Feb 7, last year.

Sim and Goh were suspended for smearing the party’s name through a lawsuit against a fellow member.

“The decision (to quit) is not a surprise,” said Loke, adding that there was no point for the central leadership to further communicate with the four.

“Being veteran politicians, they should know why we cooperated with PAS in the last elections. It was a decision we all adopted and they went along with it at that time.

“So, they shouldn’t backtrack and say today that it was wrong. That is switching the blame,” he said.

However, both Tan and Loke agreed that for now, the priority was to focus on and support the Malacca state leadership.

“We will immediately work out a plan to serve and defend the seats. We will also come up with a plan to serve the constituents there,” said Loke, adding that the central leadership will be meeting Malacca DAP in the next few days.

Bernama reported DAP central executive committee member Liew Chin Tong as saying that the departure might be due to their dissatisfaction over their defeat in the state party elections in December 2015.