KUALA LUMPUR – Hours after quitting DAP, former Penang deputy chief minister P. Ramasamy has threatened to sue party secretary-general Anthony Loke following a flurry of contentious claims.
He also accused Loke of not “checking the facts” and immediately “cast serious and damaging aspersions” on why the Perai incumbent left the party despite being in service for 18 years.
“By calling me ‘insincere’, ‘rode DAP for positions’ and other pejorative remarks has seriously defamed me. Furthermore, by calling me a ‘liar’, ‘they only go for a ride with the party for positions’ and other uncalled for remarks have defamed me seriously,” said Ramasamy in a statement last night.
He added that Loke has 24 hours to unconditionally withdraw the defamatory statements, otherwise, Ramasamy “may be compelled to initiate a civil action against him”.
“I have decided to hand over the reports and articles containing the offending remarks and statements to my lawyers for legal proceedings against Loke.”
Yesterday, Loke said he had expected Ramasamy to quit following the latter’s omission as a candidate in the Penang polls, besides being upset with the decision taken to leave him out.
“We are disappointed when a leader who had been given so many opportunities by the party, for three terms as a deputy chief minister, acts like this when not given a seat (in the coming election).
“But the party’s struggles will continue. Individuals, (and) leaders come and go, the most important is that the party remains strong. No individual is bigger than the party,” he said when met after the ‘Santai Minum Pagi Bersama Masyarakat’ (Breakfast with the Community) programme in Kampung Chennah, Jelebu in Negri Sembilan.
“To me, when someone (quits the party when he) no longer gets a post in the party, it means his presence in the party was not sincere. Does it mean they were only interested in the party for the posts?” he said.
Earlier, Ramasamy announced his resignation from all positions in DAP and his exit from the party, adding that he had sent his resignation letter to Loke and Chow.
Ramasamy was dropped as a PH candidate for the Penang election and replaced by Datuk Seri S. Sundarajoo for the Perai seat, which will see a four-cornered fight in the state polls tomorrow. – August 11, 2023