DAP chairperson Karpal Singh has stepped down from his party post in the wake of his conviction under the Sedition Act.

Announcing this in a statement today, he said deputy Tan Kok Wai will assume his position.

"Under the circumstances (of the conviction), I am publicly announcing that I am, pending my appeal to the Court of Appeal against the conviction and sentence that has been filed, I am stepping aside as chairperson of the DAP.

"In the meanwhile, the deputy chairperson, Tan Kok Wai, will be acting chairperson," he said.

He added that he will not "demean" himself by applying for an exemption from the Registrar of Societies to allow him to retain his post with the present conviction.

This is the latest in a series of challenges, seen to be politically-motivated, facing the party over the past years following its forced central committee re-election pressured by the Registrar of Societies (ROS).

In January, DAP finally decided to sue ROS over its alleged continued persecution.

Karpal to remain Bukit Gelugor MP

Karpal was on March 11 fined RM4,000 by the Kuala Lumpur High Court for sedition after he said the Perak sultan's removal of Nizar Jamaluddin as menteri besar at the height of the state's constitutional crisis in 2009 could be challenged in court.
 
Under Section 9A(1)(b) of the Societies Act 1966, a person cannot remain an officer bearer of a registered society if he or she has been of any offence and fined not less than RM2,000 or sentence to jail for a term not less than one year.
 
In the interim, a disqualified person may apply under Section 9A(4) of the same law for exemption and the ROS may grant it for a term as it sees fit.
 
Despite stepping down from his party position, Karpal said he will remain as Bukit Gelugor MP.
 
He cited Article 53 of the Federal Constitution, which allows the Dewan Rakyat to postpone the disqualification of its member pending court proceedings.