DAP leaders remain mum after meet over khat controversy

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 5 — DAP’s Tras assemblyman Chow Yu Hui told reporters today that the party meeting tonight was to discuss the Education Ministry’s proposal to introduce khat in the school curriculum, which has seen a variety of reactions, including pushback from the Chinese community.

Chow, who has been vocal about his displeasure with the proposal to introduce khat in the Year 4 Bahasa Malaysia textbook, had initiated a statement endorsed by over 100 DAP branches and parliamentary liaison committees in opposing the introduction of khat.

“We will bring the grassroots’ opinion and voices into the meeting,” Chow told journalists outside the DAP headquarters.

Top DAP leaders, including party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, deputy chairperson Gobind Singh Deo, national organising secretary Anthony Loke, as well as Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok and Deputy Minister for Woman, Family and Community Development Hannah Yeoh, were pictured arriving for the meeting, which commenced at 8.15pm.

DAP chairperson Tan Kok Wai, when met by journalists outside the party’s headquarters, said that members were about to discuss an issue that caused them ‘heartbreak’.

Tan refrained from commenting further.

A DAP headquarters official said there will not be a press conference after the meeting tonight.

Instead, a statement will be issued if there are any announcements.