Twenty four Selangor DAP branch leaders have come out in support of central executive committee member Ronnie Liu who has been asked to resign by rival Teng Chang Khim.

NONE At a press conference today in Klang, the self-proclaimed 24 leaders said Teng should not have hit out at Liu, who has been reprimanded by the party disciplinary committee for authorising his former assistant Tee Boon Hock in issuing dubious support letters to several companies. 

They claimed that Teng was in no position to criticise Liu because his office had also issued a support letter to five companies, of which three also received such letters from Tee. 

The companies were bidding for government contracts to repair roads, bridges, public amenities, cleaning drains, grass cutting works, bushes and to upkeep public parks in Sungai Pinang, which is Teng's state constitutency. 

The press conference was led by Puah Ju Kian, who claim to have the support of 23 other branch chairpersons. This could not be independently verified.

The letter in question was distributed to the press and dated Aug 1, 2008. 

'Committee reprimanded Teng too'

According to Puah, the letter written by Teng's former assistant Heng Yong Seng had urged the Klang municipal council to "cooperate" and grant the contracts to the five companies.

NONE "Did Teng authorise his assistant to issue this support letter? Or did his assistant sign himself?" Puah ( left ) asked.

He also urged the party disciplinary committee to take on Teng for making an issue out of Liu's support letter controversy. 

"He (Teng) had also crossed swords with Klang MP Charles Santiago last year (over the Klang bus stand relocation issue) and was reprimanded by the disciplinary committee. Does this mean Teng should resign?"asked Puah.

He was referring to recent media reports in which Teng had asked for Liu's resignation following the disciplinary committee's reprimand.

Liu was reprimanded for failing to manage his public office professionally.

Teng however refused to comment when contacted.