DAP national organising secretary Anthony Loke has issued a final warning to party leaders who appear defiant on the issue of receiving titles, saying that they risk disciplinary action if they continue to further the matter.

Loke said today that the central executive committee (CEC) is the highest authority in DAP, and anyone who is seen challenging its directive would be seen as straying from the "party line."

"When you are out of the line, the party will act. It's as simple as that," he said to Malaysiakini today.

Loke was responding to Malacca DAP chief Tey Kok Kiew who said that besides party members, the CEC should also notify all state rulers about the stance against accepting titles.

This, Tey said, would prevent others from being reprimanded for receiving state awards, as he was after Malacca governor Mohd Khalil Yaakob conferred a 'Datuk' title upon him.

He also claimed today that he had informed several central DAP leaders, including Loke, about the state award.

Read more: Inform state rulers about stance on awards, DAP CEC told

To this, Loke said that he was indeed informed, but stressed that he had advised Tey (right in photo) to meet Mohd Khalil to explain DAP's stance, and kindly turn the award down.

"In fact, he knows the party position very well. In fact, I asked him to refer to the Penang DAP's guideline on the conferment of titles. He has known it since July.

"In October, he called me to inform he was offered (the award), and I advised him to seek an audience with the governor to thank him personally, but decline," he said.

"The thing is, after the conferment, I asked him, he said he was not able to meet the governor.

"But the whole issue is he didn't inform us before the conferment. No one in the party knew that he accepted the title. There was no consultation... I only knew about it from media reports," he added.

Follow Guan Eng's example

Loke cited DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng as an example of a leader who did not thirst for awards despite a long career in politics.

"He (Lim) had been the (Penang) chief minister for 10 years. He has never accepted any title, even as the head of the state government.

"Don't tell me that they don't know that he, as the head of the state government, would have definitely been offered titles and awards.

"But the chief minister did not accept. In the past 10 years, since 2008, none of DAP's serving exco members has received any titles – that's the position and everyone knows it," he said.

Loke said Tey and the other DAP leaders who received such awards can keep their 'datukships', but warned them against continuing to take a defensive stance on the matter.

Apart from Tey, these are Malacca state legislative assembly speaker Wong Fort Pin, Sabah chairperson Stephen Wong, Sabah vice-chairperson Frankie Poon and Sri Tanjung assemblyperson Jimmy Wong.

As he pointed out, the CEC merely reprimanded said leaders, but never demanded that they return their awards.

"To Tey, if he wants to keep his datukship, just say so. We are not going to stop him. The next time I meet him, I will call him 'Datuk' Tey Kok Kiew.

"But I want to give him a final warning – enough is enough. Don't put the blame and push the responsibility to the party," he cautioned.

"If you want to keep your 'Datuk' title, just keep it and keep your mouth shut. Don't challenge the party authority. I made the statement not in my personal capacity but on behalf of the CEC.

"When the CEC reprimands you, it is a warning to you. Don't challenge the warning and reprimand, if you do challenge, it means you are challenging the CEC."

Loke issued a further warning for Tey to refrain from making any more statements regarding the matter.

"If he makes another statement, I will refer him to the disciplinary committee," he stressed.