DAP’s constitutional crisis

Further to that, there is a complaint that 753 Indian members who were opposed to Lim Guan Eng did not receive their notice to the meeting and that 300 of the 1,823 delegates who attended the meeting were ‘illegal’. Lim Kit Siang got the highest votes followed by Lim Guan Eng and the anti-Lim group says that if the 753 delegates had not been excluded from the party election then the father and son would have come in 5th and 6th respectively.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Yesterday, on 17th April 2013, the Registrar of Societies (ROS) sent DAP a letter saying that a dispute has arisen regarding the legality of the officer bearers of the party that was elected on 15th December 2012. The dispute regards the appointment of Vincent Wu Him Ven to the central committee plus the allegation that 753 members of the party were not given the notice to the congress within the required ten weeks.

Hence the ROS is questioning the legality of the party elections plus its elected committee and within a month from 17th April 2013 DAP is to submit to the ROS the list of the central committee members that was actually elected on 15th December 2012. DAP has to also send to the ROS the notices that were sent to all the delegates who were eligible to attend the party congress and if there are any discrepancies then DAP is to hold fresh party elections failing which the ROS can deregister the party.

DAP said that a miscalculation caused by a technical glitch was discovered in the 15th December 2012 party election results. In the revised results, Zairil Khir Johari, who initially finished in 39th position with only 305 votes, leapt to 20th position with 803 votes. Vincent Wu Him Ven, who was initially elected to the CEC with 1,202 votes was relegated to 26th position with only 669 votes. He was then re-appointed into the CEC as a co-opted member.

Further to that, there is a complaint that 753 Indian members who were opposed to Lim Guan Eng did not receive their notice to the meeting and that 300 of the 1,823 delegates who attended the meeting were ‘illegal’. Lim Kit Siang got the highest votes followed by Lim Guan Eng and the anti-Lim group says that if the 753 delegates had not been excluded from the party election then the father and son would have come in 5th and 6th respectively.

It would be interesting to see how this whole thing unfolds with only 17 days to go before the general election of 5th May 2013. The ROS letter was copied to the Election Commission (SPR) hinting of a possible constitutional crisis that may affect DAP’s status in the 5th May 2013 general election.

Will DAP have to contest the general election under the banner of PAS after all? PAS has offered to allow DAP to contest under its banner if DAP gets deregistered.

What a twist considering that back in 1999 and 2004 the Chinese voters ‘punished’ DAP because of its association with PAS. Now, ironically, PAS may be stepping in to help DAP by offering the latter its banner.

Maybe this is good for Pakatan Rakyat after all. Then the Chinese may vote for PAS to reward it for helping DAP out of its dilemma. But imagine how much fun Umno is going to have telling the voters that Rocket sudah naik Bulan.

What a twist indeed. I suppose PAS will come to DAP’s aid just like Umno did to MCA when it, too, faced a constitutional crisis some time back.

I just love Malaysian politics.