‘DAP fresh CEC polls likely in November’

DAP chairman Karpal Singh said the party decided to hold re-election due to the threat of the party being deregistered ration

GEORGE TOWN: The DAP re-election for positions in central executive committee (CEC) is highly likely to be held this November, said party chairman Karpal Singh here today.

He said the party must hold the fresh polls within a 10–week period from last Wednesday when the CEC decided to conduct the re-election.

He also confirmed that only the same list of candidates, who contested the now annulled party polls held in Penang on Dec 15, 2012, would be eligible to contest in the re-election.

Similarly, he said only the legitimate list of delegates for last year’s party annual congress would be eligible to attend and cast their ballots in the electoral process.

“We will decide the date and venue for the re-election in next Thursday’s CEC meeting,” he said at the press conference during his visit to his Bukit Gelugor parliamentary constituency.

Karpal also confirmed that the previous CEC of 2008 – 2011 term would be now administering and making decisions for the party until the fresh polls.

He indicated the party would not engage independent observers to oversee the electoral process.

“The question of independent observers does not arise,” he said, adding that the party had heeded supporters’ calls to hold re-election.

He rubbished claims by detractors that the DAP’s decision to conduct re-election was  an admission of guilt.

He said that the DAP decided to hold re-election due to the imminent threat of party deregistration.

He said it was also to uphold democratic principles and larger interests of DAP, members and lay public.

Just because the party decided to abide by ROS directive to hold fresh CEC polls, he said it does not mean that the DAP agreed with ROS.

“Nor it was an admission of our guilt.

“We could have been quiet on the error. But we were transparent to admit the technical glitch.

“We have made our position very clear that ROS has no power to order the re-election.

“We complied with ROS directive for the very survival of the party

“We would rather comply with ROS than face deregistration.

“Public interests were the priority,” said Karpal, the eighth-term senior parliamentarian.

He said the DAP could not initiate legal action to challenge ROS directive on July 30 to the party to hold fresh polls due to lack of material evidence to constitute a legal groundwork for it.

He said the ROS did not supply the DAP details on complaints of election irregularities made by party members.

He said ROS also failed to mention the law under the Societies Act 1966 that empowered the agency to call on DAP to conduct re-election.

“We did not have necessary groundwork to take the matter to court,” said Karpal.

When asked on who would have the power to call for re-election if not ROS, he said the DAP stand was that Sections 16 and 13 of the 1966 Act did not give ROS power to direct for re-election.

He reiterated same when suggested that the ROS could have been lenient by calling for fresh polls rather than deregistering the party straightaway.

He also declined comment on rumours of rift among party leaders over the CEC decision to hold re-election.

“I shall not comment on rumours,” he said.