Friday 29 Mar 2024
By
main news image

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 28): Two incumbent Democratic Action Party (DAP) lawmakers, namely Klang MP Charles Santiago and Bentong MP Wong Tack, rebutted the party's version of why it is not fielding them in the 15th general election (GE15).

Charles, who was Klang MP for three terms, said it was untrue that DAP had informed him that the 14th General Election in 2018 would be his last term.

He dismissed what Selangor DAP chief Gobind Singh Deo reportedly said on Wednesday that he was aware of his imminent replacement, adding that there was no such arrangement or indication about him being replaced in 2013 or 2018.

“These narratives are an afterthought to mitigate the huge backlash that we are seeing, even before the official candidate list was announced," he said in a statement on Friday.

On Wednesday (Oct 26), DAP confirmed that Kota Kemuning assemblyman Ganabatirau Veraman will stand for the Klang parliamentary seat. The announcement has apparently met with disgruntlement from voters and supporters who were fond of Santiago.

“I am glad that both [DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke] and Gobind have recognised the magnanimity with which I have accepted the party’s decision but it’s unfortunate that they are resorting to such responses given the massive public criticism,” Charles said.

“And even if the extent of the backlash freaks them out, it’s unbecoming of both Loke and Gobind to hint that they were doing me a favour by allowing me to continue as a lawmaker given that I do not hold positions in the party."

Charles said it was “painful” for him to make this clarification and indicated that he would not speak on the matter of his candidacy again. Santiago will abide by the party’s decision and appealed for the public to vote in a Pakatan Harapan (PH) government. DAP is part of the PH coalition.

On Friday, Gobind issued a statement saying that Charles had been aware that there were calls to replace him as Klang MP. Moreover, when Charles sought Gobind's support for his candidacy, the former was aware that the 2018 polls would be his last run for Parliament.

Gobind also said it was incorrect for Charles to label Loke's and his actions as an "afterthought".

Meanwhile, Wong said it was “inaccurate” for DAP to say that the party did not drop him when the party had initially intended to leave him out of any Pahang seats.

On Wednesday, he announced on that he would defend his seat by contesting as an independent candidate, mere hours after DAP unveiled its four MP candidates in Pahang for GE15.

During DAP’s press conference, Loke said: “I have discussed with him (Wong) for about three hours last Sunday (Oct 23), to convey our decision and offered him to contest in Cameron Highlands, he requested 24 hours for him to consider, and he declined that offer after deliberation.”

Wong acknowledged that Loke had met with him that Sunday after he had repeatedly rejected the party's offer for him to contest in Cameron Highlands. However, he said the offer was made in the beginning.

“On October 16, I was told that the Pahang DAP state committee has decided to remove me from Bentong. I will also not be contesting any seats in Pahang. I am to disappear from Pahang completely,” Wong wrote in his Friday statement.

He said the party offered him the Cameron Highlands seat after Wong made it “crystal clear” to the party that he and Bentong members will stand firm in his incumbent seat.

GE15 will be Wong’s third time contesting for the Bentong parliamentary seat, possibly facing Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) opponent Liow Tiong Lai again.

Wong lost against Liow in GE13 by 379 votes, but defeated Liow in GE14 with a majority of 2,032 votes.

 

Edited ByLam Jian Wyn
      Print
      Text Size
      Share