PETALING JAYA: Teratai assemblyman Bryan Lai Wai Chong says his decision to leave DAP was to protect the image of the party.
I have been attacked by some fake accounts in the past two weeks.
I do not want this matter to affect the image of the party, he said in a text message on Thursday (April 8).
Lai confirmed that he had resigned as a DAP member and would continue to support the party and Pakatan Harapan as an independent assemblyman.
Lai also assured that he will not be joining Perikatan Nasional after his resignation from the DAP.
“I love my party very much and do not want the current situation to damage DAPs reputation,” said Lai.
The current situation referred to by Lai was the recent allegations of marital infidelity levelled against him.
Lai said he would be issuing another statement regarding the matter soon.
“I will be going back to serving my constituents beginning next week and vow to give them my very best,” said Lai.
The 47-year-old joined DAP in 2008. He was a new face to the Ampang Jaya area, having served as Kajang municipal councillor from 2012, before he was picked to contest the Teratai state seat in the 2018 General Election.
He won with 34,453 votes against PRM’s Jenice Lee Ying Ha (529 votes), Gerakan’s Liew Pok Boon (4,784 votes) and Mohd Irman Abdul Wahab from PAS (5,028 votes).
In a statement on Thursday, party whip for Ampang Jaya Municipal Council, Chua Yew Chong said the Team Teratai respected Lais decision to leave DAP.
Team Teratai is saddened by what happened but thanked him for continuing to support DAP and Pakatan Harapan for the stability of the Selangor government.
We respect the assemblyman’s decision to leave because of his love for the party where his personal issues have, to some extent, affected the party’s name.
We will remain strong with DAP and are ready to work with YB Bryan Lai as long as he supports Pakatan Harapan, he said.
May YB Bryan continue to persevere and be strong in facing these challenges.
We ask for the support from all levels of society in the Teratai state constituency so that we can continue to serve and deliver, he added.
On April 2, Selangor DAP chairman Gobind Singh Deo announced that Lai had resigned as the state DAP organising secretary but remained as a party member.
Gobind said he received Lais resignation letter a day before, which was then accepted by the state leadership.
He also said the state committee has decided to refer the matter to the national disciplinary committee for their consideration.
Lai is replaced by Banting assemblyman Lau Weng San, who now serves as acting state organising secretary.
