Ramasamy: Penang polls line-up shows incumbent CM's troubles not over

 

The DAP incumbents dropped as candidates for the Penang state election are those “aligned or imagined to be aligned” to caretaker chief minister Chow Kon Yeow, according to P Ramasamy.

“As we are fully aware, there was a move to replace Chow as the next chief minister. Some names were proposed but withdrawn due to the strong opposition in Penang.

“The party had no choice but to propose the name of Chow as the next chief minister,” he said in a statement today.

Ramasamy claimed that although Chow was not removed, those perceived to be aligned with him were “sacrificed” in order for another faction to dominate the line-up.

“It is too well-known the person or persons behind the anti-Chow campaign in Penang,” he said without mentioning names.

“Chow might have survived one major crisis in his political life but given his isolation in the candidates line-up, his troubles are far from over.

“All evidence points in the direction of Chow as the lame duck chief minister provided he lasts the full one term,” he added.

Caretaker Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow

Ramasamy, who is the incumbent Perai assemblyperson and deputy chief minister II, was among those struck off from the list.

Yesterday, former Seberang Perai councillor David Marshel accused DAP chairperson Lim Guan Eng of wanting to become the chief minister again.

Marshel, who quit DAP after the line-up was announced, would be contesting the Perai seat as an independent candidate with the aim of ensuring that Chow remains as the chief minister.

Dignified exit

Meanwhile, Ramasamy reiterated that he has no qualms about being dropped as a candidate if the decision was in the best interest of DAP.

However, he expressed disappointment over the manner in which the matter was handled.

“Having being been a member of DAP for 18 years, a central executive council (CEC) member for a good number of years, currently the deputy chairperson of Penang DAP, and three-term deputy chief minister II, I wanted some respect and dignity.

“I would have preferred DAP, especially its national leaders, to inform me and others that we would be dropped in line with the rejuvenation policy of the party. It could have been a dignified exit.

“Why wait to inform us after the decision was made? Are we strangers in the party? Haven’t we contributed to the party?” he asked.

Ramasamy also pointed out that the argument of a rejuvenation process fell flat since both senior and junior leaders were dropped.

“How does the dropping of leaders in their late 30s and mid-40s fit in the rejuvenation formula?

“I sometimes wonder whether the DAP has a policy on the rejuvenation process in the first place…

“But sorry to say, the reasons advanced for dropping the six incumbents fall flat in the face of evidence,” he added.

Ramasamy also said it was common knowledge that weeks before the announcement of the nomination date, there was a leaked list of the candidates but this was dismissed as fake.

“When the final list was announced on July 25 with one or two exceptions, the list closely resembled the fake one,” he added.

Ramasamy said while the DAP leadership has the power to decide on the list of candidates, what is not acceptable is the incongruence between the reasons given for the dropping of the incumbents and the actual reason for not being chosen.

“The answer to this incongruence must be found in the realm of internal politics of the DAP in Penang,” he added. - Mkini