Charles Santiago: “DAP Never Told Me GE14 Would Be My Last Hurrah”
The incumbent Klang MP said that DAP tried to mitigate the backlash from the people by saying that the decision to drop him from contesting the Klang parliamentary seat in GE15 was pre-planned.
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Incumbent Klang MP Charles Santiago has denied that he was informed by his party, the DAP, that the 14th General Election would be his last term.
Taking it to Twitter, the three-term MP urged his party “not to tarnish “his images in order to manage the backlash received from the rakyat following his snubbing.
STATEMENT:
— Charles Santiago (@mpklang) October 28, 2022
Please don’t tarnish my integrity to manage backlash
Let me make this clear: the Democratic Action Party (DAP) never informed me that 2018 would be the last time I would be fielded as a candidate.
Read the whole thread 👇 pic.twitter.com/oBrz4QG1DB
“There were no such arrangements and no indication about calls to replace me (or who made these calls) in 2013 or 2018, as suggested by Selangor DAP Chairman, Gobind Singh Deo,” the activist-turned-politician tweeted in a long thread today.
He claimed that the narrative that it has been decided all along that DAP would replace him with another party leader for GE15 in Klang as an afterthought to mitigate the backlash from his constituents.
While he is glad that both Gobind and DAP secretary-general Anthony recognised his magnanimity in accepting the decision to sit him out for GE15, Santiago said that it is unfortunate that both leaders would resort to such responses in facing public criticism.
“It’s just too painful for me to write this because I am determined to ensure a Pakatan Harapan (PH) victory in this general election and would like to see the DAP do well at the polls.”
He however said that he would continue to support PH and calls for the Klang constituents to continue backing the Opposition in the upcoming GE15, slated for 19 November.
“Let me set the record straight: I entered politics for the sole purpose of advancing the agenda of the people and giving voice to those who can’t speak for themselves. DAP was the platform I chose and it has been the best platform for me to do so, for which I am forever grateful.”
He ended his tweet by saying: “I was not in politics to build my faction,” where he also tagged the DAP, Gobind and Loke in his update.
DAP has named Selangor state executive councillor V. Ganabatirau, as Santiago’s replacement
Apart from Santiago, DAP also decided against fielding Tony Pua (Damansara), Ong Kian Ming (Bangi) and Wong Tack (Bentong) to defend their respective constituency in the upcoming general election.
Ong however had previously indicated that he would not seek reelection in Bangi in GE15.
READ MORE: Shake-Ups in DAP: Tony Pua Retires, Charles Santiago Will Not Defend Klang, #SyahUntukBangi
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