Newly appointed Selangor DAP committee member Edry Faizal Yusof has criticised those who want to turn the state party elections into a racial issue.

The former student activist and rapper-turned-politician said it is saddening that his failure to get enough votes to win a place in the committee has been attributed to him being Malay in a Chinese dominant party.

"The defeat of myself and two other Malay candidates should not be seen through a racial lens.

"I believe we lost not because we are Malay, but because we are not as well-known at the grassroots level," said Edry in a statement today.

"I also do not wish to be voted in only because I am Malay, but it has to be because I have worked hard and have helped out in grassroots activities," he added.

Yesterday at the state DAP convention, 15 committee members were elected in to the new term, while five others who failed to garner enough votes or did not contest were also appointed into the new committee.

The appointees include three Malay members , Abdul Aziz Bari, Young Syefura Othman and Edry, along with Bukit Gasing assemblyperson R Rajiv and Damansara Utama assemblyperson Yeo Bee Yin.

Edry, who is also DAP Bandar Utama chairperson, said it is saddening that critics fail to understand the DAP election system and instead prefer to play up racial sentiments.

He was referring to comments in cyberspace from ' Agenda Daily , cybertroopers and bloggers'.

'Chinese, Indians also lost'

"They say the failure of Malay candidates to win in the (party) elections proves DAP is anti-Malay and so on.

"It must be reminded the DAP election process focuses a lot on the voice of the grassroots, therefore the power to elect state committee members is given to the state branch leaders," he said.

He added that the small percentage of Malay leaders running for the posts - only three this time around - coupled with the fact that they are not yet familiar to the grassroots, makes the outcome only logical.

The top 15 who succeeded, he said, were mostly very well-known not just at grassroots level but even outside the party.

"Last night's results are justified, except for those who want to find ways to distort the facts according to their whims," he said.

"Those who want to play up such (racial) sentiments only split hairs and choose facts that suit their racial angle.

"They close one eye to the fact that there were many candidates from other races that got lower votes than I did," said Edry.

"Many who did not succeed in getting into the top 15 were from all races, not just Malay, but also included my Chinese and Indian friends," he added.