DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has dismissed a former party stalwart’s outburst suggesting that the central executive committee re-election exercise last Sunday was "flawed and not clean".

NONELim said the claims by former DAP national chairperson Zulkifli Mohd Noor (left in photo) that certain leaders allegedly used "3M - Man, Money and Media" were not worth responding to.

Among other things, Zulkifli said delegates had been "tricked" to support the status quo, to save the party from being deregistered by the Registrar of Societies.

"It is not serious at all, coming from Zulkifli. It's not worth commenting on," Lim told a press conference in Penang today.

Asked if action would be taken against Zulkifli for tarnishing the party's image, Lim brushed off the question.

"If one person can tarnish DAP's image then I don't think the party is worth the 46 years of struggle (it has gone through), which is why I said it is not worth commenting (on his statement)," said Lim, who is also Penang Chief Minister.

He repeated several times that "it is not worth commenting at this point", when pressed if any action would be taken against Zulkifli.

Rather, he said, the most important factor is the delegates’ decision to reinstate the 20 CEC members they had voted for last December.

"That shows that there was no  cheating, (that) it was clean and that the delegates are united in condemning ROS for trying to finish off and fix up the DAP," he said.

"(If) you want to finish off the DAP, do it at the (general) election. Don't use this kind of underhanded and dirty tactics to try and finish off the DAP just because you cannot finish us off at the election," he said.

NONELim said the party plans to move forward, adding that the elected leaders and CEC will not let down delegates who trust them to defend the party against dirty and underhanded tactics.

State DAP chief Chow Kon Yeow (right) took a different approach to Zulkifli's allegations, describing these as "normal".

He said the claims should not be viewed negatively as he is also campaigning for the national chairperson’s post, now held by veteran lawyer and Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh.

However, Chow said Zulkifli - who had failed to make it into the CEC - will have to accept that he is not ready for the national chairperson’s post.

New appointments

At the same press conference, Lim announced the appointment of two new staff - Raja Syarafina Raja Shuib as his legal officer and Hartini Ali as the Penang Municipal Council (technical department) deputy general manager.

Raja Syarafina replaces Andrew Yong who has gone abroad for further studies, while Hartini is an engineer by profession. Both appointments are effective today.

"Two young women for senior (posts) ... we give them equal opportunities," Lim said.

Lim also thanked developer IJM Land for the "generous" RM100,000 annual sponsorship” from this year to 2015.

The sponsorship includes hosting the company's Penang Women's Open Squash competition from Oct 7-12 at the Nicol David International Squash Centre in Bukit Dumbar.

Also presence were IJM Land general manager Toh Chin Leong, Squash Rackets Association of Penang chairperson Lim Tiong Chin and state executive councillor in charge of sports, Chong Eng.