Buntong lawmaker joins Gerakan
Third term Buntong lawmaker A Sivasubramaniam has joined Gerakan, three months after leaving DAP and Pakatan Harapan.
At a ceremony at the Perak Gerakan headquarters in Ipoh, Perak today, Sivasubramaniam said he decided to leave DAP in the best interest of his constituents.
Third term Buntong lawmaker A Sivasubramaniam has joined Gerakan, three months after leaving DAP and Pakatan Harapan.
At a ceremony at the Perak Gerakan headquarters in Ipoh, Perak today, Sivasubramaniam said he decided to leave DAP in the best interest of his constituents.
Describing his time in the Pakatan Harapan-administration in the state as "bitter", he claimed that a small number of DAP leaders would often interfere in government affairs for their own interest.
"They do not respect democracy (within DAP). They cannot be criticised," Sivasubramaniam said.
He mentioned in passing that the DAP leaders he was unhappy with were "cousins", which likely meant that he was referring to Perak DAP chief Nga Kor Ming and Perak DAP advisor Ngeh Khoo Ham.
Sivasubramaniam also reaffirmed that he was supportive of Perak Menteri Besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu and that members of 21 DAP branches in his constituency will be switching allegiance to Gerakan as well.
He left DAP on March 9 along with Tronoh assemblyperson Paul Yong and Titi Serong assemblyperson Hasnul Zulkarnain Abd Munaim.
With Sivasubramaniam's (below, centre) entry into Gerakan, the party will finally have a lawmaker.
The party did not win a single seat during the 2018 elections where they fielded 11 parliamentary candidates and 26 state assembly candidates.
Meanwhile, Gerakan president Dominic Lau said he believed that Sivasubramaniam and his supporters subscribed to Gerakan's multi-ethnic approach and vision for Malaysia.
He stressed that although Gerakan was not aligned to any political bloc, the party was supportive of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
"People want political stability, economic recovery and peace... Gerakan believes Muhyiddin's efforts and leadership can achieve this," Lau said.
He added that the party was expecting snap elections soon.
Lau refused to confirm or deny if his party was approached by Yong.
Perak DAP later congratulated Gerakan for helping DAP “clean up” its party by accepting those who were “unprincipled” and “willing to sell their honour”.
It said Sivasubramaniam was fired by the DAP disciplinary committee along with Paul Yong Choo Kiong in March this year for betraying the rakyat’s mandate
“He (Sivasubramaniam) was a liability when he was still in DAP. The rakyat will decide to punish those who have betrayed their mandate and sold their honour,” Perak DAP said in a statement.
DAP members who were present at the press conference with Sivasubramaniam this morning would also be kicked out of the party with immediate effect, it added.
It also said that since the Buntong lawmaker has left DAP, the party has appointed Perak DAP vice-chairperson V Sivakumar to look after the Buntong constituency and continue the party’s services to the residents there.
“DAP’s efforts to serve Buntong residents has never stopped and the contributions and aid to the rakyat who need help during the movement control order (MCO) are being carried out in an organised manner.
“The DAP grassroots in Buntong remain strong and stable. The branch leadership is not affected by Sivasubramaniam’s announcement,” Perak DAP said.
It also said that DAP will contest the Buntong state seat again in the 15th general election to defend the rakyat’s mandate.
Gerakan is busy accepting discards and garbage. The loyal ones will stay put in their parties. Come GE15 this debris will be washed away. Malaysians are not stupid, they remember traitors and frogs.