KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 12 — DAP’s Dr Boo Cheng Hau confirmed today that he has quit after eight years as Johor’s Opposition Leader, citing allegedly unwarranted attacks against his leadership by his own party colleagues.
The Skudai assemblyman blamed this on “Johor newcomers” in the DAP, who he said have made it impossible for him to perform in his current post.
“I want to be an effective Opposition Leader but if I’ve been sabotaged and smeared and with the character assassination to this extent, I see no point in carrying on in this post,” he told Malay Mail Online.
When asked if he would remain in DAP, replied in the affirmative, saying that having been a member for over 21 years, he had always been able to tolerate different opinions.
The state lawmaker said he recently quit his post as the Gelang Patah parliamentary liaison committee chairman hoping that the attacks would stop, but they did not.
He declined to comment if Gelang Patah MP Lim Kit Siang, who is also the party advisor, was among those orchestrating the purported attacks.
Lim contested in Johor for the first time in the 2013 elections and won the Gelang Patah Parliamentary seat.
“I welcome them to contest in Johor with the noble intention to win more seats in Johor so we can capture Putrajaya.
“Unfortunately my move was very disadvantageous to myself until I could no longer perform as the Opposition Leader,” he said.
Yesterday, he was ousted from Johor’s 15-man committee after failing to secure enough votes in the party elections.
Dr Boo, who was previously Johor DAP chief for nine years before he lost to Liew Chin Tong last year, alleged that some party leaders had boycotted his activities, apart from engaging in other acts of sabotage.
“I feel stabbed in the back. They try to clip my wings and restrain me in many ways. But most importantly, the elected YBs, they do not show respect as well,” he said.
He added that the “inexperienced” MPs have been “instigated” and “brain-washed” to sabotage his leadership.
“They’ve been smearing me as person who cannot work as a team, and that is a lie. Now the team is very skeptical and suspicious of me, I cannot perform without 100 per cent trust and confidence from them,” he said.
Dr Boo described the attacks as political, however, noting that Johor is seen today as a promising support base for the opposition.
“Competition is natural but it must be fair and must be genuine for the good of the party, but not by dirty political tactics and launch personal attacks,” he said.
