Discord in Penang DAP deepens

GEORGE TOWN: With Penang DAP already under pressure from “outside parties” in the state election, the infighting that has erupted over the dropping of several candidates has come as a severe blow.

State party vice-chairman Zairil Khir Johari was trying to put out the fire yesterday, saying it was understandable that members who were dropped felt upset, “but that is not an excuse to berate the party or our party leaders in public”.

“Now is not the time for infighting,” said Zairil.

“DAP has a well-structured process for candidate selection. Our party’s procedures are clear. Everything was followed and there is no question of any procedure being sidestepped.

“Members who are not selected know the procedure. Any internal grouse should be addressed internally,” he said in response to disgruntled members who resigned and who have threatened to stand as Independents in the state election.

The former members claimed that there was a power struggle in Penang DAP, with one “emperor” deciding on the candidacies.

David Marshel, a Seberang Prai City councillor for 10 years, has resigned and announced that he will contest in the Perai state seat as an Independent. His campaign tagline will be “Save Penang from Lim Guan Eng”.

Marshel is aligned with former deputy chief minister II Dr P. Ramasamy, who had been Perai state assemblyman since 2008 but was dropped.

Marshel, a DAP member for 15 years, claimed there were suggestions to amend the state constitution to allow Lim, the party national chairman, to become chief minister again.

A 2018 amendment to the state constitution limits the chief minister to two terms. Lim had served out the two terms in 2008 and 2013.

Marshel also claimed there were plans to remove Chow Kon Yeow as state chairman at next year’s state party elections.

“They also want to amend the state constitution so an assemblyman can hold the chief minister’s post for four terms, so Lim can return,” Marshel claimed.

A day before Marshel, outgoing Bagan Dalam assemblyman Satees Muniandy repeatedly referred to an “emperor” dictating candidacies.

“He can do whatever he wants with his family’s party; but I think Penangites should not allow this to happen. This is about Penang. If we allow him to do whatever he wants, it means we are betraying the basic democratic values that we talked about all this long while,” Satees said.

“His family may own the party, but Penang belongs to Penangites, and I will fight these fellows.”

Lim’s father Kit Siang was the former party chairman while his sister Lim Hui Ying is Tanjung MP and Deputy Education Minister.

Chow, however, downplayed talk that the candidate’s list was rigged, stressing that decisions were made by a five-member Candidates Selection Committee which represents the Central Executive Committee.

Daniel Gooi, a peer of Satees and Marshel, said he was taken aback by their reaction.

“If I were dropped as a candidate, I would feel hurt too, but I would just accept it.

“I wouldn’t suddenly change my stand and principles,” said Gooi, the Pengkalan Kota incumbent who will be fielded in Padang Lalang.

Guan Eng had on Tuesday urged those who had been dropped to close ranks.

“Let’s get together to ensure we can retain Penang,” he said, adding that the party leadership had wanted a mix of “continuity and renewal” of candidates.