KUALA LUMPUR – DAP’s P. Ramasamy has derided the party’s leadership for not wanting to allow six incumbent state assemblymen in Penang to run again in the upcoming polls, claiming that the reason given “falls flat”.
The caretaker deputy chief minister who is himself not slated to be nominated by the party tomorrow criticised the party for not enabling the incumbents to have a “dignified exit”.
Ramasamy, who has been a state rep for Prai for the past three terms, said that he just wanted to serve one more term himself.
“I was just going for one more term, that is all I accept the decision of the party,” he said in a statement today.
“But sorry to say, the reasons advanced for the dropping of the six incumbents fall flat in the face of evidence. He also said while he accepts the argument in favour of a “rejuvenation” process, both senior and junior leaders were among those dropped.
“How does the dropping of leaders in their late 30s and mid-40s fit in the rejuvenation formula?”
“Where is the dignified exit for incumbents in Penang state election? Let me reiterate that I am not against the DAP for dropping me. I accept the decision, if the decision was in the best interest of the party.”
“Having been a member of the DAP for 18 years, central executive council (CEC) member for a good number of years, currently the deputy chairman of the Penang DAP and three-term deputy chief minister 2, I wanted some respect and dignity.
“I would have preferred the DAP, especially its national leaders, to inform me and others that we would be dropped in line with (the) rejuvenation policy of the party. It could have been a dignified exit.”
“Why wait to inform us after the decision was made? Are we strangers in the party? Haven’t we contributed to the party?”
Ramasamy questioned whether DAP has a policy on rejuvenation in the first place.
‘Lame duck’ Chow
He also claimed that those who were dropped were aligned with Penang DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow who is the caretaker chief minister.
Ramasamy said that the list of the possible candidates was finalised weeks before the party’s selection committees at the state-level and under the central executive committee met.
The announcement of the official list by party secretary-general Anthony Loke was a “mere academic exercise”, he added..
The national leadership has the power and authority to make the decision regarding the final list of candidates in Penang, he stressed.
“What is not acceptable is the incongruence between the reasons given for the dropping of the incumbents and the actual reason why they were not chosen.
“The answer to this incongruence must be found in the realm of DAP’s internal politics in Penang.
“Those incumbents who were dropped were those who were aligned or imagined to be aligned with the present caretaker chief minister Chow Kon Yeow,” he stressed.
Alleging a move to replace Chow as the next chief minister, Ramasamy also added that some names were proposed but withdrawn due to the strong opposition in Penang.
The party had no choice but to propose the name of Chow as the next chief minister.
Even though Chow was not removed, those seen to be aligned with him had to be sacrificed to make way for another faction to dominate the line-up.
Ramasamy said that Chow’s troubles are far from over.
“All evidence points in the direction of Chow as the lame duck chief minister, provided he lasts the full one term,” he said. – The Vibes, July 28, 2023
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