KLANG, March 29 – Some DAP grassroots leaders from the Klang branch here have voiced their dissatisfaction over the alleged attempt by the Selangor DAP leadership to field “parachute” candidates to contest in the upcoming general election, saying grassroots members would not accept this trend.
They felt the tactics of using ‘parachute candidates’ in Selangor should be avoided as they not only lacked the track record in serving the people but were total strangers who were ignorant of the needs of locals. Taman Chi Liung Indah DAP branch chairman K. Yogasigamany said the state DAP Elecion Committee and the party’s Central Executive Council (CEC) should have more roundtable discussions with grassroots leaders on the selection of candidates.
“The tactic of fielding ‘parachute candidates’ in constituencies shoud be avoided if the DAP is serious about winning or serving the people.
“For instance, we DAP branch leaders in Klang had rejected the attempt of the State DAP to field V.Ganapathirau (former ISA detainee) in Kota Alam Shah as he was not familiar to the party grassroots and members or constituents in the area,” he told a press conference here today.
Meanwhile, Taman Gembira DAP branch chairman, Ivan Ho, a former Klang municipal councillor urged top decision-making CEC leaders to choose candidates based on their vast local grassroots support and personal integrity.
“The DAP has enough talented members to contest especially after the March 2008 election, so non-Selangor members should not come into Selangor to contest in the upcoming election.
“We reject any attempts by the state leadership to field a parachute candidate from outside Selangor to contest in Selangor,” he said. Southern Klang DAP branch chairman, R. Selvaraju said candidates from the DAP should be fielded based on their familiarity with local party members, residents and issues.
“Our proposal makes it clear that we reject parachutists. We only want locals as candidates,” he stressed.
BERNAMA
