DAP Rahang rep Mary Josephine retracts decision to quit party

Mary Josephine is all smiles after announcing her decision to return to the DAP. Also present were party advisor Lim Kit Siang and Anthony Loke (right)

SEREMBAN: The DAP's Rahang assemblyman Mary Josephine Prittam Singh, has retracted her decision to quit the party.

The 71-year-old party veteran who quit on July 9 said she decided to come back as it was too painful to be away from the party she had served for more than four decades.

"I wish to thank all party leaders for their support, calls and messages.

"It has been 10 days since I announced my resignation and I must admit that it has been very painful for me to be away from the party which I have served more than 40 years," she told reporters at the service centre of Seremban MP Anthony Loke.

Josephine said she would also assume all her party positions both in the party and Pakatan Harapan.

She said she did not impose any conditions for her return.

"I will also abide by all decisions made by the party and do not expect them to change any of their decisions.

"I do not expect the party to make u-turns just because of me," she said.

Prior to this, Loke had advised Josephine to reconsider her decision and accept the fact that the decision of the majority was supreme in the running of any organisation.

Loke, who is also state DAP chief and Chennah assemblyman, said Josephine, who was into her second-term as Rahang assemblyman, should not be emotional and quit the party she had served diligently since 1974.

Josephine had during a press conference on July 10 said she decided to quit the party claiming she had been ridiculed long enough and was hugely disappointed with some of her state committee members.

She said her decision was not made abruptly but that she had been forced to do so after encountering challenges “she could not take any more”.

Pakatan holds 20 of the 36 state seats. Prior to Josephine’s resignation, DAP had 11 seats followed by PKR’s six and Amanah’s three.