Gobind’s loss at Selangor DAP polls due to factionalism, says Ramasamy

PETALING JAYA: A former DAP leader has suggested that Gobind Singh Deo’s loss in the Selangor state chapter elections is likely due to his “non-alignment” with the party’s “warlords”.

On Sunday, Gobind, who served as the Selangor DAP chairman for the 2021-2024 term, failed to secure one of 15 spots on the party’s state committee, finishing in 16th place with 675 votes.

Former Penang deputy chief minister II P Ramasamy contrasted Gobind’s defeat with Steven Sim’s rise to become Penang DAP chairman in September.

“(Sim) was aligned with the dominant faction,” Ramasamy said in a statement, adding that the results indicate that Penang DAP members “wanted to dent former party chairman Lim Guan Eng’s influence in the state”.

“I reckon a similar thing could have happened in Selangor leading to the ouster of Gobind.”

Ramasamy claimed that “factional” politics exists within DAP and has a bearing on the party’s elections and appointments.

He said this does not necessarily align with “the higher political ideals of democracy (or) fair representation of ethnic groups, women and others”.

The ultimate aim of each faction is to ensure its victory, he said.

Ramasamy also argued that DAP’s factional structure is predominantly based on the Chinese community, where powerful “warlords” control access for non-Chinese candidates, limiting their rise despite talent.

He pointed to the loss of non-Chinese leaders like Charles Santiago as evidence of this issue.

“High-calibre non-Chinese leaders have no role in the party and in some instances, the same thing goes to Chinese candidates if they are not aligned with the powerful factional forces in the party,” he said.

Ramasamy went on to say that Gobind’s close association with the Lim family, especially through his role as their lawyer, may also have contributed to his lack of grassroots support within Selangor and nationally.

“I think Gobind’s family name – his father is the late Karpal Singh – was not enough to ensure his victory and be made the chairman of the party in Selangor.

“He was completely defeated to the extent that he could not become a member of the state committee,” he said.