Dr P. Ramasamy (left) says caretaker Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow might have survived one major crisis in his political life. - NSTP file pic
GEORGE TOWN: A senior DAP leader has cautioned caretaker Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow that his troubles are far from over.
Dr P. Ramasamy said Chow might have survived one major crisis in his political life.
In recent months, there were attempts to replace Chow as the chief minister.
The DAP top leadership subsequently named Chow as the chief minister for the second term if the Pakatan Harapan - Barisan Nasional coalition retained power in the state in the upcoming state election.
"Given his isolation in the (Penang DAP) candidates line-up (for the upcoming state election), 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 said today.
Ramasamy, the former Prai assemblyman, was one of five DAP state executive council members (exco), dropped from the candidates' list.
Also dropped were Wanita DAP chief Chong Eng, Phee Boon Poh, Yeoh Soon Hin and Soon Lip Chee.
Besides the five, former Bagan Dalam assemblyman M. Satees and former Pulau Tikus assemblyman Chris Lee Chun Kit Lee who cited health reasons were also not fielded.
Chow will be defending his Padang Kota seat.
DAP will contest in 19 of the 40 state seats this time, similar to the 14th general election (GE14).
Aside from Lee, those dropped were said to be aligned to Chow.
Meanwhile, Ramasamy also questioned the absence of a dignified exit for incumbents in the Penang state election.
He reiterated that he was not against the DAP for dropping him.
He said he accepted the decision, if it was in the best interest of the party.
"Having been a member of the DAP for 18 years, central executive council (CEC) member for a good number of years, currently the deputy chairman of the Penang DAP and three-term deputy chief minister 2, I wanted some respect and dignity."
"I would have preferred the 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?
"I accept the argument in favour of the rejuvenation process, such a mechanism seems integral to the renewal process in almost all political parties. But unfortunately, the argument in favour of rejuvenation, falls flat considering that both senior and junior leaders were dropped," he added.
Ramasamy asked how the dropping of leaders, in their late 30s and mid-40s, fit in the rejuvenation formula.
He said he sometimes wondered whether DAP had a policy on the rejuvenation process in the first place.
He reiterated that he was just going for one more term.
"That is all, I accept the decision of the party. But sorry to say, the reasons advanced for the dropping of the six incumbents fall flat in the face of evidence.
"It has become common knowledge that weeks before the announcement of the nomination date, there was a leaked list of the candidates who will be contesting in the state election.
"However, this list was dismissed as a fake one, the work of the opposition parties such as Gerakan and others.
"When the final list was announced on July 25, with one or two exceptions, the list closely resembled the 'fake' one," he said.
Weeks before the state's five men and CEC's five-men selection committees met, Ramasamy pointed out that the list of the possible candidates contesting was finalised.
He said the final announcement of the official list of candidates by the DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke was a mere academic exercise.
He did not deny that national DAP had all the power and authority to make the decision regarding the final list of candidates in Penang.
"What is not acceptable is the incongruence between the reasons given for the dropping of the incumbents and the actual reason why they were not chosen.
The answer to this incongruence must be found in the realm of internal politics of the DAP in Penang.
"Those incumbents who were dropped were those who were aligned or imagined to be aligned with the present Chow.
"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 Chow as the next chief minister. Even though Chow was not removed, those who were seen to be aligned with him, had to be sacrificed to make way 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.
#kw, Penang DAP, candidates list, P. Ramasamy, Chow Kon Yeow, lame duck, chief minister, state election, candidates' list
Post time 28-7-2023 03:59 PM
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