Jelebu: DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook says he is disappointed with former Penang deputy chief minister P Ramasamy’s decision to quit the party.
Noting that Ramasamy only left DAP after he was dropped as a candidate in the state polls, Loke said it showed he was “not sincere” all these years despite having been given the opportunity to serve as the Penang deputy chief minister since 2008.
“Has he only been riding on the party for the sake of a position?” Loke said of the three-term Perai assemblyman, after a PH-BN programme in Kampung Chennah here.
“When he’s not the DAP candidate (in the state polls), he decides to leave the party. This shows that he was not sincere.”
The Seremban MP added that Ramasamy’s decision to quit DAP proved that the party made the right decision not to field him in the Penang polls.
He also believed that Ramasamy’s decision would not impact the party’s chances in the polls on Saturday.
Ramasamy was among the seven former Penang assemblymen dropped as candidates for the Aug 12 state election.
DAP had chosen S Sundarajoo, a former chief operating officer of property developer Eco World Sdn Bhd, as the party’s candidate for the Perai seat.
At a press conference in Butterworth earlier today, Ramasamy claimed that Penang DAP was carrying out a political purge to sideline those perceived to be supporting caretaker chief minister Chow Kon Yeow.
Ramasamy said he was also disappointed by the lack of courtesy shown by his “former student” Loke, who he said, had asked DAP vice-president Nga Kor Ming to inform him that he would not be fielded.
Ramasamy also claimed the Indian community was upset with DAP over the decision to drop him, adding that others would also be leaving the party in support of his move.
Anwar to meet Ramasamy
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he will be in touch with Ramasamy about his decision to leave DAP.
“Ramasamy is my friend. I will definitely get his views (on his resignation). He understands the problems in the party (DAP),” Anwar said.
The Pakatan Harapan chairman added that he hoped Ramasamy could play a positive role in helping the unity government.
He was speaking to reporters after the 36th Asia-Pacific Roundtable in Kuala Lumpur.
