Lims urged to step aside gracefully
Sunday’s party polls an indication that delegates wish to see father and son make way for more capable leaders to helm DAP, says Huan Cheng Guan.
Athi Shankar, FMT
A political commentator today called on Lim Kit Siang and his son, Guan Eng, to step down from DAP leadership following damaging decline in their popular votes in Sunday’s party polls.
Sensible and Ethical Malaysian United Team (Semut) president Huan Cheng Guan said both father and son should heed the message sent out by delegates and gracefully make way for other capable leaders to run the DAP.
Huan said both Lims suffered biggest drop in popular votes among newly elected top 20 central executive committee (CEC) members.
Instead of stepping aside for others to take over, the father and son had reinforced their rule with the latest CEC appointments despite the decline in their popularity, added Huan.
He said the Lims should walk their talk just as how they lambasted Barisan Nasional for losing the moral ground to rule after it lost its popular votes in the 13th general election.
Only 1,725 of the eligible 2,576 delegates voted in party polls on Sept 29, which was lower by 5.3% from the 1,823 delegates who attended the CEC elections in Penang on Dec 15, 2012.
Party secretary-general Guan Eng’s 1,304 votes this time compared with 1,576 votes secured last year was a huge decline by 17.2% or 272 votes.
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Party parliamentary leader Kit Siang received 1,436 votes, which was a drop of 171 votes or 10.64% from the 1,607 votes he garnered in 2012.
“Both father and son suffered the two biggest drops in votes among all top 20 winners. Delegates have sent a clear message of their discontent with both of them. The Lims have clearly lost popularity among DAP members.
“They should set an example in accordance with the same standard they set for BN. They should step down immediately and pave way for new leaders to take over,” said Huan in a statement here today.
