Penang DAP chief rebuts 'ulterior motives' in Kit Siang appreciation dinner

Summary

• Appreciation dinner scheduled for Feb 15 is to honour Lim Kit Siang’s contributions, celebrate his birthday, and commemorate his state award.

• Penang DAP chairperson Steven Sim dismisses claims the event has ulterior motives, such as building momentum for DAP polls or serving as a vote-getting campaign.

• Sim emphasises that the dinner is purely a gesture of appreciation for the retired party veteran’s remarkable achievements, urging members to set aside doubts about its purpose.

Penang DAP chairperson Steven Sim has dismissed allegations of ulterior motives behind an upcoming appreciation dinner for party veteran Lim Kit Siang, confirming that the event will proceed as planned.

He explained that the dinner aims to honour the contributions of the party veteran, celebrate Lim’s birthday on Feb 20, and commemorate his receipt of a state award from the Penang governor.

According to the Oriental Daily News, Sim (above) stressed that the dinner was solely a gesture of gratitude.

“The dinner is organised by the newly elected Penang DAP committee to express gratitude to Lim and to commemorate his remarkable achievements,” he said after an event in Bukit Mertajam last night.

He urged party members to put aside any doubts about the event’s purpose.

“It is simply a celebration and an expression of thanks to a retired leader who has contributed immensely to the party,” Sim added.

‘Not momentum-generating event’

The dinner is scheduled to take place on Feb 15 at the Han Chiang High School Hall and is open to Penang DAP members.

Sim, who also serves as human resources minister, addressed rumours suggesting that the dinner was intended to generate momentum for the party’s national election in March or to link it to DAP chairperson Lim Guan Eng’s political role.

Some have even claimed it is part of a vote-getting campaign, which Sim rubbished as baseless.

Chinese media recently reported speculation that the dinner could be a “momentum-building” event for the DAP Central Executive Committee (CEC) election.

Previously, Guan Eng also denied any involvement in organising the dinner.

“I am not the organiser of this event. It has nothing to do with me. You have to ask the state committee about this matter,” he said.

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