Perak DAP in crisis as Kula mulls resignation

By Clara Chooi

October 02, 2010

IPOH, Oct 2 — Ipoh Barat MP M. Kulasegaran has threatened to quit as Perak DAP deputy chairman in the climax of a leadership battle with the “Ngeh-Nga” cousins running the state chapter.

The veteran party leader, known to be the main arch-rival of the two famed cousins in the Perak DAP – state chairman Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham and secretary Nga Kor Ming – had apparently stormed out of a “special meeting” held last night after an intense shouting match with the duo.

In his announcement on what transpired during the meeting, believed to have been held in Kampung Simee and not at the party’s state headquarters, Kulasegaran, who is also the party’s national vice-chairman, wrote on microblogging site Twitter, “Just finished DAP leadership meeting in Ipoh. Sad day as I will announce what is lacking in Perak leadership 2molo n whu I have 2 leave 4good.”

Kulasegaran (picture) did not offer more details but when contacted by The Malaysian Insider after midnight, he confirmed that he was not leaving the party entirely.

“Leaving DAP no way. But going open on internal problems. I am being run down by Ngeh and I can’t take it any more,” he explained in an SMS.

When pressed for a confirmation however, Kulasegaran remained silent and would not take calls.

The Malaysian Insider understands that the determined leader will now embark on a “tell-all” rampage to further discredit the two cousins through the media, beginning with a press conference to be held at 10.30am here today.

According to a state committee member who attended last night’s meeting, the discussion had been summoned as a part of the party’s efforts to unite the two feuding factions between Kulasegaran’s camp and the “Ngeh-Nga” camp.

“But the unity talks was just as it is called – talk only. They (Ngeh-Nga) never stuck to their claims, their promises,” said the leader.

The leader added that the “unity talks” mooted by leaders from both camps was aimed at ensuring that the party’s state convention and elections set to be held this November, would go on smoothly.

“There was a sort of agreement that both sides won’t try to finish off each other.... but they (Ngeh-Nga) went around everywhere to badmouth us (Kulasegaran’s camp),” said the leader.

The leader claimed that Ngeh-Nga’s men had intentionally been moving around the party’s branches, attempting to get its leaders to file complaints against branches in support of Kulasegaran.

“There is also a letter being circulated for this purpose. We know, because it comes back to us. We even know who signed those letters and so it is definitely people from Ngeh-Nga’s camp,” said the leader.

The leader however admitted that Kulasegaran’s shocking decision would cause larger ripples in the already turbulent waters of the Perak DAP.

“It will have its repercussions but what else can we do? Sometimes, you just cannot take it anymore and keeping quiet no longer becomes an option,” said the leader.

It is no secret that for years, there has been no love lost between Kulasegaran and the two cousins.

The faction-fighting had however let up momentarily when Pakatan Rakyat won Perak in the last general elections and the party had to concentrate on administering the state with its partners PKR and PAS.

With the two cousins both holding posts as MP, state assemblymen and state executive councillors however, the faction-fighting eventually began again.

The two were also accused of being puppet-masters in the state government by holding total control over former mentri besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin of PAS.

This had allegedly been one of the reasons behind the abrupt resignations of three PR assemblymen last year, a move that caused Perak to fall to Barisan Nasional.

Following PR’s loss of Perak, the factional fighting in Perak DAP worsened.

During a function in September last year, the first-term assemblyman for Jalong Leong Mee Meng reportedly wept openly during her speech and later explained that her tears were born out of frustration from being sidelined by the cousins.

In recent days, the formation of new branches and the revival of defunct ones became the latest bone of contention between feuding factions.

According to one state committee member in Kulasegaran’s camp, both the Ngeh-Nga cousins have been establishing brand new branches without the knowledge of other state committee members.

But the Ngeh-Nga faction has accused their detractors of wrongfully reviving old ones.

Their arguments, having reached a boiling point, had apparently led to the recent decision by both camps to engage in a peace plan for the sake of facing the party elections in November.