DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has taken the blame for the resignation of one MP and three state assemblypersons in Malacca from the party.

In a statement today, he said he apologised to the party and the public for his decision to trust the quartet, whom he dubbed the "Gang of Four".

The four are Kota Melaka MP Sim Tong Him, and three assemblypersons Goh Leong San (Duyong), Lim Jak Wong (Bachang) and Chin Choong Seong (Kesidang).

The term "Gang of Four" referred to a Chinse Communist Party faction involving Mao Ze Dong's wife Jiang Qing, and three others, who were charged for counter-rebolutionary activities during the Cultural Revolution (1966–76).

Lim said he was especially "cheated" by Sim's pledge that he would "live as a DAP man and would die as a DAP man”.

"Such trust was clearly misplaced," said Lim.

"Once again I apologise for believing in Sim and the Gang of Four's loyalty to the party, a mistake which caused the party to still nominate them as winning candidates in the last general elections and caused DAP to lose one MP and three state seats," Lim said.

In a statement issued today, Lim warned party leaders and members not to underestimate the threat posed by the "Gang of Four".

He said their claim that they were still loyal to DAP as "outrageous and ridiculous". He added that the four had been unable to provide any concrete reasons for leaving the party.

"This is an act of personal retaliation for their defeat in the Malacca state party elections in 2015," Lim said.

The four were suspended for one year for focusing their attacks, not on BN but on DAP.

DAP acting chairperson Tan Kok Wai had welcomed their departure from the party, saying they were a "cancer", adding it was them who changed, and not the party.

Sim retaliated by warning of more resignations, claiming the party had cancer and needed a body check-up. He also accused the party of swaying from its principles, which was the reason for the four quitting.

However, Sim admitted that he was still loyal to the party but not to the party leadership, which targeted Lim directly, and his father, Gelang Patah MP Lim Kit Siang.

According to the party secretary-general, the four appeared confused as to what policy differences with the party leadership they were unhappy about.

This is because they have never communicated them to the top CEC leaders, he said.

“Instead, it is BN that has provided the rationale for their resigning.

“They (BN) cited cooperation between DAP’s Lim Kit Siang and former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamed, as well as the falsehood of DAP still working together with PAS,” said the Penang chief minister.

He said these issues will be discussed at the party’s meeting with DAP Malacca members and leaders tonight.

On the same note, Lim dismissed Sim’s pledge of loyalty to the party as “suspension of reality and reason”.

“If he was loyal to DAP, he should remain to campaign and convince DAP members to remove the party leadership he does not like,” said the Bagan lawmaker.

“Or has Sim lost confidence in getting support from DAP members after his faction’s defeat in the DAP Malacca state elections in 2015?” Lim queried.

He slammed Sim for defying logic by insisting that he is still loyal to the DAP after betraying the party.

“It is no different from BN's insistence there is no corruption in the 1MDB or Felda’s scandals.

“What is worrying is, there are some, including within the party, who believe that the Gang of Four is still loyal to DAP by leaving the party,” he added.