Beruas DAP MP Ngeh Koo Ham says the majority of the DAP central executive committee (CEC) members supported his acceptance of a datukship title.

“The matter was brought up for discussion before the CEC of the DAP before I accepted the award,” said Ngeh in a statement today, adding that only member who was not in favour on the matter was DAP national chairperson Karpal Singh.

“... The CEC was of the view that I should accept the award and that this issue should not be allowed to distract the party from the more important and urgent task of governing the state of Perak well.

“I had never sought to be conferred with any honour or title. However, His Royal Highness the sultan of Perak on his own accord conferred on me the datukship title,” said Ngeh.

Ngeh’s statement was in contrast to Karpal, who said at a press conference in Penang yesterday that it is the policy of DAP not to accept any titles from the royalty or the governors to ensure transparency among its politically active members.

Karpal also said yesterday that it was DAP senator Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim who had approached him to solve the matter when Ngeh and Selangor speaker Teng Chang Khim were awarded datukships.

Ngeh was granted the title in 2008 by the sultan of Perak, while Teng was awarded his by the sultan of Selangor in 2010.

Ngeh said that the awarding of titles should not divide the DAP leadership, and that Karpal should bring the issue to the CEC if he feels strongly about it.

“I hope that Karpal will accept the majority decision of the CEC and move on,” added Ngeh, who is also the Sitiawan state assemblyperson.

Meanwhile in a Sin Chew Daily report today, Teng defended his own datukship, saying that Karpal’s personal view (on not accepting datukships) was his own and not a CEC decision.

He challenged Karpal to produce the minutes of the meeting to prove the latter’s argument that it was a CEC decision.