The former minister in the prime minister’s department Zaid Ibrahim has been appointed Kelantan DAP pro-tem chairperson.

The appointment was decided unanimously in a meeting which also appointed 16 other pro-tem committee members.

This was announced in a ceremony to hand over a cheque to several organisations at Dewan Besar Tok Kong Mek in Kampung Cina, Kota Bharu.

Zaid (photo) said the formation of a pro-tem committee was a step to strengthen the party’s position in getting closer to the people in Kelantan.

“We are of the opinion that DAP should give explanations to better answer accusations from other political parties such as this party is a Chinese party, it’s racist, it’s communist.

“That does not benefit anyone, and instead will damage us,” he said to reporters.

Zaid added that he would focus on providing explanations and answering the rakyat’s concerns, specifically the Malays in Kelantan.

Zaid, who is a lawyer by profession, was previously a minister for a few months in 2008 and was once a member of Umno, PKR and Kita before joining DAP in 2017.

According to DAP’s communications organisation coordinator for Kelantan and Terengganu Lee Chin Chen, the party does not have a state committee in the two east coast states.

He told Malaysiakini that the party can only form a state committee now following a big increase of members in Kelantan after the 2018 general elections.

He said the pro-tem committee will be handling the matter of setting up an official state leadership in Kelantan.