Disgruntled Penang DAP man alleges power struggle

GEORGE TOWN: A DAP man announced contesting as an Independent in the Perai state seat with the tagline "Save Penang from Lim Guan Eng" and alleged a power struggle to make Lim chief minister again.

David Marshel, in a press conference on Thursday (July 27), openly criticised the DAP chairman and claimed that there were plans to amend the state constitution to allow Lim to become chief minister again.

A video recording of Marshel's press conference was posted on social media.

Marshel alleged plans in Penang DAP to remove Chow Kon Yeow from the state party chairmanship.

"We know next year is the state party elections. They want to use the state party elections as a platform to remove Chow.

"And they want to later put a motion in the state assembly to amend the state constitution so that an assemblyman can hold the chief minister post for four terms, so that Lim can become chief minister again," Marshel claimed.

A 2018 amendment to the Penang Constitution limits an assemblyman's ability to hold the chief minister post for two terms, which Lim had already done in 2008 and 2013.

"I may have left DAP, but we still have influence in about 40 state party branches.

"We have told all these branches to stay with the party and not resign because Chow needs their help in the state party elections," Marshel added.

He added that though he would stand as an Independent, he would support Chow as the chief minister.

Outgoing Bagan Dalam assemblyman Satees Muniandy has echoed Marshel's allegations of a power struggle in Penang DAP.

Satees said because of the current constitutional law in Penang, "a new plan was hatched to get an interim CM and pave way for the constitutional amendment. All this talk is not just rumour; but is indeed happening".

On Wednesday (July 26), Satees in a press conference alleged the presence of an "emperor" in DAP dictating which party members would be fielded in Penang state election.

Today, Satees openly named Lim as the person he was referring to.

"It’s either the Emperor will go for state chairmanship or put his man to be the chairman.

Satees said since the state DAP chairman should be the chief minister, Chow would be obliged to step down as chief minister if he was not the state DAP chairman.

"It’s not mere speculation. This is what I gather from party members," he added.