‘DAP man pushed me at function’
(NST) – A DAP state assemblyman has suffered a concussion after a fracas at a party dinner function here attended by DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng on Monday night.
Gwee Tiong Hiang vomited several times after he fell down at the entrance of a Chinese restaurant in Sungai Abong, here, where the function was held.
The Bentayan assemblyman later alleged that he was pushed by a man, believed to be from a rival faction of the party.
He was admitted to the Sultanah Fatimah Specialist Hospital the same night and underwent a computed tomography scan at noon yesterday.
Gwee said he had bought a table for himself and several others. The function was organised by the Muar and Bakri DAP parliamentary committees, with Lim, who is also Penang chief minister, as the speaker.
Gwee said he and several members from the Bentayan branch were refused entry by two women and a man before the latter forcibly pushed his left shoulder, causing him to fall.
“I felt dizzy after my head hit a chair. It was only at this point that the organiser allowed me into the restaurant. When I went back after Guan Eng’s speech at 9.30pm, I vomited several times before I was admitted to the hospital.
“The incident would not have occurred if I was not manhandled. I need an explanation from the organising committee before planning my next course of action.”
Bakri member of parliament Er Teck Hwa said he did not witness the incident and urged Gwee to lodge a police report instead of bringing the matter to the press.
“He claimed he had bought a table and was manhandled.
“It is better to let the police investigate this matter.”
Er added that anyone who had bought a table at the function should not have any problem entering and would be welcomed by the organisers.
Gwee is believed to be a member of the “traditional” Johor DAP faction, which opposes the leadership of the party’s state chairman, Dr Boo Cheng Hau.
The traditional faction consists of leaders who want DAP to remain primarily a Chinese-based party.
