Kon Yeow asks Ramasamy to rethink leaving DAP

by Theleaders | August 10, 2023 11:09 am

SEBERANG PERAI, Aug 10 — Penang DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow has asked his former deputy Prof P. Ramasamy to reconsider his decision to resign from the party.

The caretaker Penang chief minister said he had tried to persuade Ramasamy before the announcement was made today.

“He met with me about this and I have tried to persuade him verbally,” Chow told reporters during an event in Permatang Berangan nearby.

Chow said he received Ramasamy’s resignation early this morning but hoped the latter will reconsider his resignation.

“Prof has served for three terms in Perai so he does have his supporters and followers but whether there will be protest votes, we will leave it to the individual voter’s decision,” he said when asked if Ramasamy’s resignation will sway ethnic Indian supporters away from Pakatan Harapan.

But he conceded that the announcement might have a slight effect on the Penang state election results this Saturday.

Chow was also asked to comment on speculations that he could be ousted from office before the end of his term as asserted by Ramasamy earlier.

He replied that DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke has already said it will not happen.

As for whether the DAP national leadership has already selected Penang’s state executive council lineup, Chow said he is now only the caretaker chief minister.

“I am not chief minister yet, I can’t comment,” he said.

Chow said Ramasamy had informed him that he was dissatisfied with how the candidate selection process was managed.

“Although he can accept the decision of being dropped he was dissatisfied with the way it was managed in that those who were dropped were only informed on the same day as the announcement of the candidates,” he said.

He said this led to Ramasamy’s decision to resign from the party.

Ramasamy joined DAP in 2005 and has served as the Perai assemblyman and deputy chief minister II for three terms since 2008.

He was dropped as a candidate for this year’s state election.

This morning, Ramasamy announced his resignation from the party, citing a political purge in DAP as one of the reasons for leaving.

At the same time, Ramasamy said he supports Chow to be Penang chief minister for a second term.

He also said he supports PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to remain prime minister.

Source URL: https://theleaders-online.com/kon-yeow-asks-ramasamy-to-rethink-leaving-dap/