BUTTERWORTH, JUNE 4- A former DAP branch leader is seeking a court order against his expulsion from the party.
G Asoghan (photo), who was chairman of the Jalan Bagan Luar branch when he was sacked last April, filed a writ this afternoon at the High Court here.
He named as defendants five members of the party’s disciplinary committee—Tan Kok Wai, Tan Siang Piau, M Kulasegaran, P Ramasamy and Lim Hock Seng—as well as the party itself.
“I am seeking a court declaration that the decision taken by the first five defendants was null and void,” he told a press conference here.
“I am seeking a declaration to invalidate the termination letter against me. I also want the court to order the sixth defendant, the DAP, to reinstate me as a rightful party member.”
He is also claiming damages, costs and other reliefs deemed fit by the court.
Asoghan had been a party member since 1992. Last April 23, the head of the disciplinary committee, Kok Wai, issued him a termination letter for his “act of standing as an independent candidate in the Bagan Dalam state constituency”
The letter said the offence was a “serious breach of party discipline”.
Asoghan said the termination letter was invalid because the disciplinary committee was formed by a central executive committee whose election last Dec 15 was under dispute.
The Registrar of Societies (ROS) is yet to recognise the validity of the election following reports of vote rigging.
In line with this, Asoghan said, the party’s candidature letter for the 13th general election was also null and void.
He also said there were rumours that party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng would like DAP to be deregistered because he did not want a re-election conducted by ROS.
Deregistration would also help Lim get rid of 1,300 delegates who were against him, Asoghan alleged.
“Lim and his cronies are not bothered about the party,” he said. “They are keen only to protect their selfish interests.”
