Past racial postings and statements, and factional rivalry in Perak DAP, are believed to have scuppered his chances.
A controversial past may have cost Nga Kor Ming a Cabinet position, says media report.
PETALING JAYA: Controversial Perak DAP chairman Nga Kor Ming is believed to have been excluded from possible new Cabinet appointments to be made by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
His exclusion may stem from past controversies about racially-charged statements and online postings, as well as a rivalry between two camps in Perak DAP.
A media report today said Nga was not being considered for any position as minister or deputy minister in what was described as a victory for “the other side”, a reference to a camp aligned with Ipoh Barat MP M Kulasegaran.
Kulasegaran was appointed Human Resources Minister last month, with additional responsibility for Indian affairs, in a first set of Cabinet appointments. Further appointments to fill about 12 additional seats are being considered by Mahathir.
Nga and his cousin Ngeh Koo Ham, also a former Perak DAP chief, are seen as leading one camp within Perak DAP, with Kulasagaran and Kampar MP Thomas Su leading a rival camp.
Kulasegaran has in the past vented his anger on Nga and Ngeh, accusing them of sidelining him, belittling the Indian community and engaging in corruption.
A report in Malay Mail Online today quoted a source as saying that Nga’s past racially-charged statements “do not sit well with the PM who must have been told of the matter”.
Last month, a video was circulated in which Nga was purported to be seen making comments that Mahathir would not live long and that DAP was using him to topple the Barisan Nasional government led by Najib Razak. Nga said the video had been doctored to smear the DAP.
He has also been the subject of past police investigations under the Sedition Act for online postings that were said to be insulting to Malays and Muslims.
Perak DAP contributed seven parliamentary seats to the DAP’s national total of 42 seats in the Dewan Rakyat. -FMT
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