The DAP’s Pulau Tikus assemblyperson Koay Teng Hai, who was recently hauled up for breaching party discipline , has been dealt another blow - his campaign manager Lai Hon Meng quit his post.

Lai, however, was quick to play down his decision. Giving no indication of any conflict, he said this was merely to enable Koay to restructure his election machinery in Pulau Tikus.

"It has no link to the recent incident involving Koay. However, I have strong dissatisfaction with comments by state party secretary Ng Wei Aik as published in the media," said Lai.

He pointed to a report by Chinese-language daily Kwong Wah Jit Poh on Nov 1, which quoted Ng as saying that Koay's absence from a recent state legislative assembly sitting had almost caused the failure of the constitutional amendment to disallow party hopping.

Ng, who is Komtar assemblyperson, had cited two examples to drive home his point - the 2010 Budget Bill which was passed in Parliament with only a difference of one  vote, and the No-Confidence Motion against Singapore Government led by former president Lee Kuan Yew in 1961.

"My opinion is that these examples carry different characters and (were) over-exaggerated to compare with this incident," said Lai on his Facebook page.

NONE Koay (left) , who heads the state Backbenchers’ Club, had been rapped for going on a US trip even after Chief Minister and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng had rejected his leave application. He has since acknowledged his mistake.

Koay’s presence had been required during the vote on the Anti-hopping Bill to ban lawmakers from leaving their party after winning a seat in the upcoming polls.

Lai declined to comment beyond what was stated on his Facebook page, saying his departure from Koay’s campaign team is “a coincidence”.

He said he had submitted his resignation letter to Ng yesterday, saying his action “should carry no weight” for the media.

He maintained that he has a good relationship with Koay, who he described as “a politician who is able to distinguish himself from the rest by focusing on policies and who is bold enough to recommend changes”.

He urged Ng, who is the state DAP Socialist Youth chief, not to focus his energies on Koay, but on maintaining Pakatan Rakyat’s two-third majority in Penang.

“Pakatan has only two seats above this baseline. Therefore in the next general election, we cannot afford to lose a single seat,” he said, adding that the coalition is at risk in at least seven ‘grey’ seats.

‘No action yet on Koay’

Ng said he has received Lai’s resignation letter but has yet to discuss this with him.

NONE "I don’t know the reason for his resignation, you should ask him,” Ng (right) told Malaysiakini .

On whether this would affect the party's election strategies or machinery, he said: "No. What is more important is that we are able to find a campaign manager who is a trustworthy and capable person.”

Asked if there are plans to replace Lai in leading the Pulau Tikus campaign, he said the party leaves such decisions to the candidate.

Ng also said he has submitted a report on Koay to the disciplinary committee, but that it has yet to act as preparations are underway for the party’s national congress on Dec 15 and 16 in Penang.

Koay, meanwhile, said Lai had made up his mind to resign only a couple of days ago, and that a member of his service centre team has since been identified to replace him.

Asked if Lai had resigned to enable the restructuring of the team or to express his protest against Ng, Koay said “it seems like both (reasons)”.

As to whether this development would affect his relationship with the state leadership, especially Ng, Koay said: “It is quite difficult for me to comment about this.”

“Whatever leaders do, the public is able to see. Lai is more senior than I am in the party. He has always had his own views and would surely have his own reasons for leaving his post.”