KUALA LUMPUR: Anthony Loke has lambasted Dr P. Ramasamy, who quit DAP today, saying the former Prai assemblyman and others who had resigned "only ride the party" for status and position.
The DAP secretary-general said those who chose to resign had abandoned ship only when they no longer held any position.
Loke also refuted claims made by Ramasamy that the latter was shown no courtesy as he had not been personally informed that he would not be fielded to defend his seat in the state polls.
He said Ramasamy's claim was a lie, adding that he had lost all respect for the former Prai assemblyman.
Loke said he had gone to Penang on July 25, prior to the candidate announcement, with DAP vice-chairman Nga Kor Ming to meet those who would not be chosen to defend their seats in the election.
"I strongly deny all claims made by Ramasamy where he said I had no 'courtesy' in informing him about the decision to not field him as a candidate this time around.
"Alongside Nga and caretaker Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, we had a meeting at the party's headquarters there and had personally met all former assemblymen who were not fielded to explain the party's decision, as well as to give them the chance to convey their views.
"I am disappointed with Ramasamy who had lied about the matter and I have lost all my respect towards him as my former lecturer," he said in a statement.
Loke also stressed that those who quit the party after not being re-fielded were not sincere and loyal enough to the party.
Earlier today, Ramasamy announced his exit from DAP at a press conference held at his former service centre.
During the announcement, he reportedly said he was disappointed by the lack of courtesy shown by Loke who was his former student, adding that a political purge had taken place instead of rejuvenation.
"The deceitful purge was endorsed by the national leaders, the individual who is infamously dubbed the 'emperor' is the source of the present and ongoing crisis in Penang DAP. The national leadership seems to be beholden to this person or 'emperor'.
"There are some good leaders in the DAP but the slide towards mediocrity and appeasement politics seems inevitable. It is no wonder that DAP has been described as a party taking the road of MCA or MIC," said Ramasamy.
On July 28, former Bagan Dalam assemblymen M. Satees had tendered his resignation from the party and announced that he would be defending his seat as an independent after being dropped as a DAP candidate.
Satees had said the choice of DAP candidates for the state election was not what the state party leadership had put forward and showed that the hand of the "emperor" was involved.
This came a day after former Batu Kawan DAP leader David Marshel announced that he had resigned his party membership and would contest as an independent candidate for the Perai seat.