Ngeh, Kula meet to settle squabble

Kulasegaran (pic) met with Ngeh and there is now a peace pact for the time being in Perak DAP

IPOH, Oct 10 — The Perak DAP crisis has tapered down to a reluctant friendship for the state’s top two, Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham and M. Kulasegaran, who met today to resolve differences.

The Malaysian Insider understands however that despite their meeting, the party’s state chairman and deputy chairman have yet to agree on a unity formula to end the leadership squabble.

The meeting, held at 3pm at a private location believed to be in Tebing Tinggi here, apparently brought an agreement to keep their differences within the party.

The discussion was reportedly cordial and non-confrontational, a contrast to their last meeting which was heated ending with Kulasegaran’s quit threat (of his state party post).

Both men later issued a joint statement, their second since the crisis exploded last Friday, explaining that they had met and had struck an agreement to keep their disputes internal.

“We have met and agreed that all our differences should be resolved internally in the party as the greatest challenge is to restore public confidence in Perak DAP and Pakatan Rakyat to win back Perak state government as well as to capture Putrajaya in the next general elections to fulfil the people’s hopes and expectation for political change in the country,” they said.

They also pledged to work out details on how to restore unity in the fractured state leadership but did not give a deadline for their unity formula.

“We will work on the details to restore party unity, solidarity and a common sense of purpose in Perak DAP,” they said.

Present at the meeting were both Ngeh and Kulasegaran as well as DAP life adviser Dr Chen Man Hin, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang, national vice-chairman Tan Kok Wai, state organising secretary Thomas Su and Tebing Tinggi assemblyman Ong Boon Piow.

Perak DAP secretary Nga Kor Ming who, along with his cousin Ngeh, is at the centre of the ongoing leadership dispute with Kulasegaran, was not present at the meeting.

Later tonight, the leaders are expected to congregate again in a show of unity at two separate ceramah dinners in Kampung Baru, Bidor, and Jelapang.

The Malaysian Insider understands that DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng will join the group for both functions.

The leadership crisis in Perak DAP hit the headlines last Friday with Kulasegaran’s quit threat, following a special meeting held with leaders in Kampung Simee here.

The Malaysian Insider understands that the meeting had witnessed a spat between the two feuding factions — Kulasegaran’s camp and the Ngeh-Nga cousins — who have been at odds with each other over several leadership issues.

Their dispute in recent days centred around disagreements on the formation of new branches in the state, ahead of the coming state party elections this November 14.

Ngeh and Nga have been accused of forming new branches without endorsement from the state committee while Kulasegaran has been alleged to have illegally revived dead branches.

The leaders, through discussions with Guan Eng, has since agreed to keep the crisis outside of the media.

Just yesterday however, Kulasegaran held a press conference here where he declared that he was still willing to follow through with his challenge for an open debate with Ngeh on their grouses.

“If permitted, why not?” he had said.

Kulasegaran explained that such a debate would be similar to the practice of modern democracies like in the US and the UK.