Rebel DAP duo refuse to withdraw from GE13
Clara Chooi, TMI
DAP’s two rebel incumbents Jenice Lee and Sim Tong Him have turned down their party’s ultimatum to withdraw from the polls contest, saying today that they were prepared to be sacked from the party.
Both leaders, however, maintained that their loyalties still lie with the DAP and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) and said if they won their respective seats, they would reapply to be party members again.
“Jenice apologises to Karpal Singh and other respective leaders. However, a decision has been made and she will continue to stand in Teratai as she believes it is in the best interests of the people to be served by her, as was the case for the past seven years,” her campaign manager Lee Kin Hing told The Malaysian Insider, reading from a statement approved by Jenice.
“The party should pander to the will of the Teratai people… unless the majority decide differently in the coming election.
“In any event, she will appeal and will reapply to rejoin the DAP as she still believes and upholds the principles and spirit of the DAP,” the aide said.
Jenice filed her nomination papers to defend her Teratai seat last Saturday, earning herself the boot from the DAP leadership for defying the party’s decision to drop her as a candidate.
The first-term assemblyman insisted that it was the will of her constituents that she re-contest the seat, saying she would even willingly return the seat to the DAP by rejoining as a member after her victory.
Yesterday, however, a large group of Pandan DAP members, including branch chairmen, local councillors and committee members, came out to rat on Jenice, accusing her of power abuse, arrogance and poor service as an assemblyman.
Elswhere in Malacca today, news portal Malaysiakini quoted Kota Melaka incumbent Sim as saying that he too would not back down from his bid for the Kota Laksamana state seat.
