Dr P Ramasamy has officially tendered his resignation as a DAP member.
The incumbent Prai assemblyman and caretaker deputy chief minister announced his resignation at his service centre in Perai on Thursday (Aug 10).
“I’ve submitted my resignation as Chai Leng Park DAP branch chairman and Penang DAP deputy chairman.
“The letters were sent to party secretary-general Anthony Loke and Penang DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow respectively,” he announced.
Ramasamy added that he wasn’t against DAP or Pakatan Harapan but was against certain leaders in the party who did not appreciate their service.
Ramasamy said with the resignation he will now shift his support towards Independent candidates David Marshel who is contesting for the Perai seat and M Satees who is contesting for the Bagan Dalam seat
Ramasamy was Batu Kawan MP from 2008 to 2013 and a three-term Prai assemblyman from 2008 but was not chosen as a candidate for the Aug 12 state elections.
He joined DAP in 2005.
During the announcement, Ramasamy reportedly said he was disappointed by the lack of courtesy shown by Loke who was his former student, adding that a political purge had taken place instead of rejuvenation.
“The deceitful purge was endorsed by the national leaders, the individual who is infamously dubbed the ’emperor’ is the source of the present and ongoing crisis in Penang DAP. The national leadership seems to be beholden to this person or ’emperor’.
“There are some good leaders in the DAP but the slide towards mediocrity and appeasement politics seems inevitable. It is no wonder that DAP has been described as a party taking the road of MCA or MIC,” said Ramasamy.
Following the announcement, Loke lambasted Ramasamy, saying he and others who had resigned “only ride the party” for status and position.
Loke said those who chose to resign had abandoned ship only when they no longer held any position.
He also refuted claims made by Ramasamy that the latter was shown no courtesy as he had not been personally informed that he would not be fielded to defend his seat in the state polls.
Loke said he had gone to Penang on July 25, prior to the candidate announcement, with DAP vice-chairman Nga Kor Ming to meet those who would not be chosen to defend their seats in the election.
“I strongly deny all claims made by Ramasamy where he said I had no ‘courtesy’ in informing him about the decision to not field him as a candidate this time around.
“Alongside Nga and caretaker Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, we had a meeting at the party’s headquarters there and personally met all former assemblymen who were not fielded to explain the party’s decision, as well as to give them the chance to convey their views.
“I am disappointed with Ramasamy who had lied about the matter, and I have lost all my respect towards him as my former lecturer,” he said in a statement.
“I am disappointed when a leader, who had been given several opportunities, including helming the position of a deputy chief minister for three terms, quit the party when he was not fielded in the polls.
“There were former state assemblymen and state executive councillors, including (DAP Wanita chief) Chong Eng who continued to provide their support by going to the ground and helping the party during the campaigning period for the polls although they were not fielded in this state election.
“They continue to remain in the party. This is not the case for Ramasamy and M Satees who left the party immediately after they were not fielded in the polls.
“By doing this, they are showing that all this time they were riding on the party for position,” said Loke.
Asked if Ramasamy’s resignation is tantamount to an act of betrayal since the party was facing state polls, Loke said he refused to resort to name-calling.
“If their heart (loyalty) is no longer with the party, they can choose to leave. We will not beg anyone from leaving the party.
“I do not want to resort to name-calling. I will let the people judge their character.
“For me, if a person chose to leave the party just because he was not given a position, it means that he is not sincere with the party,” he said.
Asked if Ramasamy’s resignation would affect the campaign by DAP in the polls, Loke responded in the negative.
“It will not leave any impact towards the campaign for the polls by DAP.
“Leaders and members come and go but the party will remain strong to champion a better future for the people,” he said.
After Loke claimed Ramasamy rode on DAP for power and position and that he had no regrets about dropping him as a candidate for the state election, Ramasamy claimed Loke lacked the courage to paint an accurate picture of the situation or to go against “the emperor”.
“Loke is not honest enough to admit that the dropping of the six candidates was a political purge initiated by the emperor and endorsed by the five-men national committee headed by him,” Ramasamy added in a statement.
Although Ramasamy did not name the “emperor”, who he claimed is the root of all problems in DAP, it is believed that he is referring to party national chairperson Lim Guan Eng.
“He lacks the elementary guts to oppose the whims and fancies of the emperor in DAP. He is beholden to him forever,” Ramasamy said.
He also described Loke’s leadership as “ineffective” and claimed the latter has placed DAP on the path of MCA and MIC.
“Loke is not the leader of the once vibrant DAP, but a party that has infamously acquired the name of MCA 2.0,” he added.
In his press conference this morning, Ramasamy said the “emperor” and his faction were sidelining those perceived to be aligned to Penang caretaker chief minister Chow Kon Yeow.
Meanwhile, Chow has urged Ramasamy to reconsider his decision to resign from the party.
“Ramasamy told me that although he could accept the decision of being dropped as a candidate, he was unhappy with how the process was being handled.
“This resulted in him leaving the party, although I had persuaded him (against it) earlier.”
Separately, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim told reporters after the 36th Asia-Pacific Roundtable that he will meet Ramasamy whom he called a “friend” about the latter’s decision to leave DAP.