The internal fight in Sabah DAP has prompted Hiew King Cheu to quit the party and become an Independent assemblyperson for the Luyang state seat.

                   

NONE The former Sabah DAP chief told Malaysiakini that he took the decision after a meeting with supporters and friends.

Hiew said he would tender an official resignation letter later today.

He has not been on good terms with the Sabah DAP leadership, after he was overthrown by present Sabah DAP chief Jimmy Wong’s camp in the 2010 party election.

The dispute worsened last month when four Sabah assemblypersons, including Wong, filed a complaint against Hiew with the DAP disciplinary board.

Asked why he did not want to wait for the disciplinary committee’s decision, Hiew replied: "No need for that."

He said although DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang had met him in an attempt to resolve the problem, "the local leaders just don't care."

"The party is just a platform, without people it will eventually fall. A party without good people will not achieve greatness.

"I have done my duty, yet some didn't appreciate me. I can only give way," he added.

On a possible backlash from his voters, Hiew said he conducted a two-month-long survey, and most of his constituents supported his decision to bow out.

He said that although some BN parties and even PKR had invited him to join them, he had not considered the offers as yet.

Met at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said he did not wish to elaborate on the matter.

“I have yet to know the details. It’s not right for me to comment now,” Lim said.

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