SEREMBAN: Nilai assemblyman J. Arul Kumar has been elected Negri Sembilan DAP chief, says Anthony Loke.
The DAP secretary-general said the decision was made unanimously by the state committee during its meeting on Monday (Aug 10) morning.
"Before the committee members named their choice, I had said that I will abstain from voting to remain impartial.
"I am glad that the committee members have appointed Arul as he has proven to be a good and credible leader," he told reporters after chairing the meeting.
Loke had announced his decision to step down after he failed to defend the Chennah state seat.
He said Arul Kumar's election also showed that the party was for all races.
"Although the majority of the state committee members are Chinese, we still appointed Arul Kumar as chairman.
"This showed that we are a multiracial party although the majority of our members are Chinese," he said.
Arul Kumar, 41, is also DAP national vice-chairman.
Loke said the last non-Chinese to lead the state DAP was Yusoff Badur who helmed the post in the early 1980s.
