DAP : Legal, Illegal or Legally Incompetent?

Is it going to be a Waterloo for some Penang DAP stalwarts come December 1st when Penang DAP members vote at their state polls? Clearly, it will be a showdown of many sorts because many issues are likely to make the party implode.

Is the December 1st 2013 event legal? According to Section 15(6) of DAP constitution, the CEC must set the dates for the conventions. Until now, the Registrar of Societies (RoS) has yet to acknowledge and recognize the new central executive committee (CEC) elected onSeptember 29th. If so, all state-level conventions would be deemed illegal. Worse still, some sacked members had voted in the party re-election and are rightly “illegal delegates” because DAP never issued member reinstatement letters and they should not have voted. Legal?

Even though the RoS has given the CEC to submit a report within 60 days from the date of the election on September 29th 2013, it is shocking to learn that DAP Secretary-general Lim Guan has submitted a mere ‘three-page’ report. After all the hue and cry over the December 2012 disastrous CEC election (which triggered a string of complaints from DAP members leading to the RoS declaration that it would not recognize the results and ordered re-elections or risk it being de-registered), shouldn’t LGE have diligently submitted a flawless report. What then is the real reason for such a flippant report?

What is more damning is news that DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has yet to send all documents to the Registrar of Societies (RoS), including the name lists of party members who attended its central executive committee (CEC) re-election on Sept 29. Does it appear as though it is a deliberate move to delay RoS investigations into legalizing the CEC? If so, the natural outcome would be for RoS to deregister DAP for fresh elections to be held. If so, it would possibly result in election of candidates favored by the ‘masters’ rather than members.

If that were not the case, it would clearly be a case of legal incompetency. The position of Secretary-General of any political party requires quick action, commitment and pro-active deliberation and promptness in decision-making. Failure to meet expectations should compel one to step down for he would have led the party down.

Rumblings from the ground indicate a deep divide between LGE’s supporters and Penang DAP members – a clear indication that all is NOT well on the Penang front. Recent reports indicate how one particular leader has insulted a high-ranking civil servant publicly – a definite blot of red ink in the DAP report card.

On December 1st, 2013, 1112 delegates in Penang will vote for the new DAP leadership in Penang. Will they rise to the occasion and give Penang a new breath of life by voting in WORTH candidates and not those considered of worth to a Tokong? Over to you, Penang DAP members. Do it right, for Penang!

By Datuk Huan Cheng Guan