For Ronnie Liu, the writing is on the wall
By Neville Spykerman, The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 — Seen as DAP’s problem child, an embattled Ronnie Liu is treading on thin ice with his party fast losing patience with him.
Consensus is Liu should quit as Selangor state executive councillor but the party is caught in a conundrum.
“DAP is divided between those who want him to step down and those who know there is not enough grounds to compel him to do so,” a party Central Executive Committee member told The Malaysian Insider.
The CEC member, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the party’s gag order on the matter, said that despite all the allegations, Liu continues to be the proverbial cat with nine-lives.
“Look, even the police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) have investigated him and found no corruption,” he said.
Yet Liu continues to be a magnet for bad publicity to DAP and himself.
“The public perception is just terrible,” he said
The misuse of Liu’s letterheads by his former assistant — Tee Boon Hock — is but the latest controversy involving the first term Pandamaran assemblyman.
Tee, a veteran DAP leader and former Klang Municipal Councillor, was recently sacked from the party for issuing a letter of support for his son to obtain a contract for his company.
Liu was “severely reprimanded” for the incident.
“At the most he is only guilty of not keeping his assistants in check, not corruption.” said another DAP leader.
Liu has repeatedly been in the press for all the wrong reasons.
Wangsa Maju MP Wee Choo Keong even claimed that an office of a Selangor Executive Councillor was being used by underworld elements to conduct their activities.
Although Wee did not name anybody, his claims — which remain unsubstantiated — was enough to drive speculation against Liu.
Liu also had run-ins with DAP’s Pakatan Rakyat (PR) partners who have criticised his leadership as executive councillor for local government, even for doing what was right.
