Seng Giaw: The late Chee Khoon more honest than most

KUALA LUMPUR: After being dropped by DAP for GE14, incumbent Kepong MP Dr Tan Seng Giaw has launched a thinly-veiled attack against the party's leadership by invoking the memories of his mentor, the late Tan Sri Dr Tan Chee Khoon.

"He was more honest than most of these people. Chee Khoon did a lot of ground work and he helped a lot of poor people," he told The Star.

Chee Khoon, who was known as "Mr Opposition", co-founded Gerakan in 1968 and subsequently left to form Parti Keadilan Masyarakat Malaysia (Pekemas) in 1972.

Seng Giaw first got involved in politics at the age of 34 when he was approached by Chee Khoon to join Pekemas in 1976.

According to Seng Giaw, Chee Khoon would not have attacked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak for his role in 1MDB.

"He was very different. He would not do what these people did. Instead, he will do what I do – that a person is innocent until proven guilty.

"But I suppose anything goes in politics and there is no need for the rule of law," he said.

The 75-year-old said that his views on 1MDB earned him brickbats on social media.

"Some even went as far to insult my ancestors. What am I supposed to do?" he asked.

The Public Accounts Committee deputy chairman claimed that the Opposition had on multiple occasions invited him to speak in ceramahs alongside Pakatan Harapan chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

"They wanted me to share the same platform as Dr Mahathir. But I never did because I was probably going to say the same," he said.

At the same time, Seng Giaw maintained that he did not hold any grudge against Dr Mahathir for being detained under the abolished Internal Security Act (ISA) in 1987.

"When someone asks me how I feel, I can only describe my feelings as 'hesitation'. I bear no hatred over that anymore," he said.

DAP's decision to abandon its signature rocket logo, which the party has used since 1969, for PKR's did not sit well with Seng Giaw.

"The rocket logo embodies all the struggles of the past 52 years, making this a distinctive symbol that is accepted by the urban community. Obviously, people will feel strange that it isn't used anymore," he said.

Seng Giaw, who served eight terms as Kepong MP, was recently axed from the GE14 line-up in favour of two-term Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng.

The former DAP Selangor chairman first won the Kepong constituency in 1982 and had been its MP ever since.

He said that it was the prerogative of the party's top leadership, and denied that it was due to his role in the PAC on 1MDB.

"In any political party, the leadership have the right to either appoint you as a candidate or not. So, I have nothing else left to say."

However, Seng Giaw said he would continue to speak up and assist the people the best he could despite his exit from politics.

"I will not stop doing what I have been doing since 1976. I will continue to try my best to help those who are in difficulty," he said.