JAWI: Former DAP lawmaker Tan Beng Huat today announced that he is renouncing his party membership to join the People’s Alternative Party (PAP).
Tan, a one-term Jawi assemblyman in 2008, cut up his DAP membership card into pieces as a symbolic gesture before PAP members and media representatives here.
Some 100 DAP members and supporters from Jawi also quit the party to follow Tan.
They handed over their membership form to PAP president Zulkifli Mohd Noor, who also announced Tan’s appointment as state PAP chairman.
Speaking at a specially-arranged press conference here, Tan said that DAP has sidelined the sacrifices of its former party veterans, and is more interested in maintaining family dynasty politicking.
“The elements of ego and arrogance have seeped into DAP’s administration and are becoming more chronic.
“DAP has shunned its ally, PKR, in many issues in the running of the state.
“I became one of the victims of the family dynasty politicking when I was dropped in the last general election without a valid reason,” he said, adding that a similar fate befell several DAP assemblymen and Members of Parliament throughout the country.
As such, Tan said that DAP is no longer the party to be a part of.
“DAP’s roof is no longer safe for us to seek shelter under.
“It is high time that voters, particularly the Chinese, relook their future with the party,” he added.
Meanwhile, Zulkifli said that Tan’s entry into PAP marks a historic milestone for the two-year-old party.
“We believe more people will follow suit and we will announce (their entry) accordingly,” he added.