Penang under Lim Guan Eng

Controversial Tham to leave DAP

By PRISCILLA DIELENBERG and CHRISTINA CHIN

north@thestar.com.my

On the move: Tham showing his election pamphlets while sitting in the bright yellow van he uses to meet the people in Penang.

GEORGE TOWN: Penang DAP action team chief Tham Weng Fatt, who claims he has been “scolded” by party members, supporters and even a few leaders for hitting out against his own party, is resigning.

His resignation comes just three days after the party’s Jawi assemblyman Tan Beng Huat threatened to quit the DAP.

Tham said he would be tendering his letter of resignation on Friday and would be joining Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM).

Tham, however, claimed that he still loved DAP which he joined upon finishing school in 1976, and his decision to leave was not because of any quarrel with any leader or member.

“I have no choice. I’m resigning with a heavy heart to clear up some ‘confusion’ as I want to continue to serve the people and I cannot do that effectively when I’m still with the DAP.

“This is because I am serving the people as their watchdog and, with the DAP as the state government, it appears that I am hitting out against my own people through my actions,” he said.

Tham said that he had been scolded by many party supporters and members, and even a few leaders, for more than a year now for “hitting his own party” by raising various complaints on local government issues.

He said he contemplated resigning at least three times early last year but finally made up his mind two months ago.

He said the public could still contact him at his existing mobile number (012) 428-9937.

Tham said he approached PCM last week and would be joining the party as an ordinary member and placed in charge of its state complaints bureau.

He said he had yet to speak to any DAP leader about his decision.

Speaking to reporters before attending a meeting with council heads in Komtar, Penang DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow wished Tham “all the best.”

“He usually consults me when he is making a decision, whether it is big or small, but this time he didn’t contact me,” he said.

Asked if he would persuade Tham to change his mind, Chow said he could not comment as he was not aware of what Tham had told the media.

“He has always been controversial. What I know is from what you are telling me. Let me read what he actually said in the newspaper reports first before commenting,” he said.

Denying that the party was facing a crisis with Tham and Jawi assemblyman Tan Beng Huat threatening to leave, he urged the media “not to read too much into things.”

“Members leaving the party are part of the political challenge. So this is just another obstacle,” he said.

On claims that Tham was disappointed at not being reappointed as councillor, Chow, who is state Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman, said the party had never made such a promise to him.

“We don’t go around promising people positions,” he said.