GEORGE TOWN: An outspoken DAP grassroot member used the terms "ular" (snake) and “bapak ayam” (pimp) to refer to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad during a fiery debate session at the party's annual state convention today – an act which earned the ire of Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.
Shamsher Singh Thind from the Chai Leng Park branch was interrupted and rebuked by Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general, for his use of the derogatory terms and ordered to withdraw his remarks.
Shamsher, who had the floor in the debate and likened Dr Mahathir to “a pimp of prostitutes” and a “snake” stood his ground and refused to concede in a brief verbal exchange with Lim.
His antics stunned the 300-odd delegates and media who attended the event.
"Dr Mahathir is our main enemy and as chairman of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, he has no interest in saving Malaysia.
"He just wants to protect his interests, because he is worried about his future if Pakatan were to win the federal administration," Shamsher said.
He also said Pakatan Harapan was a failure, like its now-defunct predecessor, Pakatan Rakyat, due to intense in-fighting.
"DAP and PKR were pitted against each other in six state seats in Sarawak recently. The multi-cornered fights should not have happened, (as) Pakatan's presidential council has a final say in the selection of candidates," Shamser said.
But after state committee members joined in the fray and demanded that he retract his words, Shamsher finally relented.