David Marshel, who quit DAP yesterday, will be contesting in the upcoming Penang state election with the aim of preventing Lim Guan Eng from becoming chief minister again.
Marshel (above) will vie for the Perai seat as an independent candidate. The incumbent for Perai is caretaker deputy chief minister P Ramasamy, who has been dropped from the line-up.
The former Seberang Perai city councillor said the main reason for entering the fray is to ensure that Chow Kon Yeow continues as chief minister after the election.
He claimed that Lim, who is the DAP chairperson, is targeting the chief minister’s post despite expressing support for his successor.
“I will contest as an independent candidate and my campaign tagline is ‘Free Penang from Lim Guan Eng’,” Marshel told a press conference in Penang.
Lim, who is the incumbent Air Putih assemblyperson, served as chief minister from 2008 to 2018 before becoming the finance minister after Pakatan Harapan won the 14th general election.
However, the Harapan administration collapsed after 22 months in power.
Marshel said he was saddened to quit the party he has served for the last 15 years.
"This is a party with principles. I have worked hard for the party, but the recent candidates' announcement hurt my feelings to the extent of forcing me to take this difficult decision (to quit).
"I love this party, but I don't love any leaders in the party, especially Lim Guan Eng, because he does not respect the grassroots," Marshel said, his voice breaking.
Elaborating, Marshel said there were three things he was passionate about in his life - DAP, his NGO (Malaysian Tamilar Kural), and his family.
"Since joining DAP in 2008, I have spent more time for the party and politics. But all these have gone unrecognised by the party leadership, particularly the current secretary-general (Anthony Loke) and his predecessor (Lim)."
Attempt to topple Chow?
Marshel further lamented the similar fate that befell his friend, incumbent Bagan Dalam assemblyperson Satees Muniandy, who was excluded from the candidates' lineup.
Following his exclusion, Satees had warned about the dangers posed by a certain "emperor" to Penang and its people.
"Satees and I fought hard for the party, but he was 'discarded' after just one term as an assemblyperson.
"Both of us will contest as independents in the upcoming state election, and Satees will make an announcement on this in due time," he said.
Marshel acknowledged the uphill battle he could face contesting in Perai against former Eco World Development Group Bhd deputy chief executive officer Sundarajoo Somu, who's DAP's pick to replace Ramasamy.
"Regardless, I will contest the seat. Even though Chow might campaign for DAP and the party's candidate and scold me for going as a candidate, I will still contest and support Chow."
Marshel claimed that there would be an attempt to remove Chow from his position as Penang DAP chairperson in the party election next year to be replaced by someone aligned with Lim.
"Although I quit the party, I still have connections within DAP branches in Perai, Batu Kawan, and throughout Penang, and I urge them to continue supporting Chow as the chief minister.
Marshel alleged that Lim would attempt to topple Chow to get the chief ministership or try to amend Article 7 Clause 2(a)(ii) of the Penang state constitution that stipulates that the chief minister shall be appointed from among individuals who have never at any time held that position for two terms.
Talking about the party, he lamented that never once had any lawyers from DAP supported or backed him whenever he was called by the police for his activism.
"I'm not going in and out of court to face corruption trial like Guan Eng does for his tunnel case.
"I have sacrificed myself by voicing out today. I could have stayed silent and kept my job as a councillor. Now I'm jobless. I just passed an exam to become an insurance agent, so I might start doing that," he quipped, adding that in the coming days, he would expose alleged wrongdoing committed by Lim. - Mkini
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