Anthony Loke: Ramasamy not sincere to DAP for quitting party after being dropped from state polls

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 10 — Former Penang deputy chief minister P. Ramasamy has shown that he was not committed to the DAP’s cause by leaving the party after he was not named a state election candidate, according to Anthony Loke.

Loke who is DAP secretary-general, expressed his disappointment with Ramasamy, and wondered if the after was only in the party to gain a position of power, news portal Free Malaysia Today reported this afternoon.

“Has he only been riding on the party for the sake of a position?

“When he’s not the DAP candidate (in the state polls), he decides to leave the party. This shows that he was not sincere,” Loke was quoted as telling reporters in Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan while campaigning for Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional (PH-BN) candidates ahead of polling on Saturday.

Loke who is also Seremban MP said that Ramasamy's decision to quit DAP proved that the party made the right decision not to field him in the Penang polls.

He added that Ramasamy's decision would not impact the party's chances in the polls on Saturday.

Ramasamy was among seven former Penang assemblymen dropped as candidates for the August 12 state election.

DAP had chosen S. Sundarajoo, a former chief operating officer of property developer Eco World Sdn Bhd, to replace the three-term Ramasamy as its candidate for the Perai seat.

At a press conference in Seberang Perai, Penang earlier today, Ramasamy reportedly claimed that certain DAP leaders in the state were carrying out a political purge to sideline those perceived to be supporting the state party chief and caretaker chief minister Chow Kon Yeow.

Ramasamy also said he was disappointed by the lack of courtesy shown by Loke, a former student, for not informing him directly that he would not be named an election candidate in Saturday's polls.

Ramasamy said that there will be others who are unhappy over the decision the party took and will take their leave from the party in support of him.

Separately, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim told reporters here after the 36th Asia-Pacific Roundtable that he will meet Ramasamy whom he called a “friend” about the latter’s decision to leave DAP.