Kedah DAP chief asks Karpal to retire

(NST) – Kedah DAP chairman Lee Guan Aik welcomes Karpal Singh’s move to step down as the party’s national chairman.

Lee regarded the decision as timely as Karpal, who is Bukit Gelugor member of parliament, was no longer fit to be an MP  and disqualified following the court appeal over sedition conviction and RM4,000 fine.

He also suggested the veteran politician to retire from the party due to his health condition.

“Karpal has been too long in the party and with his health condition,  it is high time for him to step down.

“He needs a good rest and allow others to have the opportunity to step in and serve the party.

“In fact, in my opinion Karpal should have retired much earlier  but it is still not too late,” he told Pressmen in a  conference at state DAP office here today.

Lee was commenting on Karpal’s announcement to step down pending the latter’s appeal to a charge where he was found guilty of uttering a seditious statement involving Sultan of Perak.

It was reported that the party deputy chairman Tan Kok  Wai would hold the post as acting chairman in the interim.

On another note, Lee said Kedah DAP would be holding its state annual general meeting, which has been delayed for almost a year, in June.

He said the decision was made by virtue of his position as the legitimate state party chairman as well as consensus among its committee members during a meeting last week.

“We will submit a letter to inform our decision to hold the AGM in June to the party leadership and forwarded a copy to the Registrar of Societies (ROS) soon,” he said