KUALA LUMPUR, May 14 — DAP has expelled Teluk Datuk assemblyman Loh Chee Heng with immediate effect for serious misconduct.
The federal opposition party’s acting national chairman Tan Kok Wai said its discipline committee had unanimously found evidence Loh had misused state funds meant for his constituency.
“Following the disciplinary hearing today, during which Loh was given the opportunity to explain himself, the DAP DC have concluded that there is evidence of serious misconduct by Loh and has unanimously decided to terminate his Party membership with immediate effect,”
Tan, who heads the disciplinary committee, said in a statement.
The Cheras MP declined to elaborate on Loh’s alleged transgression or the party’s plans to service Teluk Datuk constituents, when contacted.
“Decision only made this morning. Selangor DAP will arrange something soon,” Tan told Malay Mail Online.
In his statement, he said the DAP panel had received a written complaint of Loh’s alleged fund misuse in March, adding that its Selangor committee carried out an internal probe the same month to check the validity of the claim.
“The internal investigation by the DAP Selangor State Committee found that there were basis to the allegations, i.e. there is evidence of wrongdoing on the part of Loh,” Tan said.
As such, the party does not condone Loh’s action, which Tan described as a “serious breach of public trust” and which had stained the DAP’s reputation.
“[The] expulsion of Loh from the Party demonstrates how seriously the DAP DC views such misconduct,” he said.
He reminded all DAP members and especially its lawmakers that the party expect them to conform to the highest standards of integrity in line with its principles of transparency, accountability and good governance.
Loh declined comment when contacted.
“Sincerely apologise, no comment for now,” he told Malay Mail Online.
Teluk Datuk, with a population of 24,340 according to a 2013 count, is one of three Selangor state seats under the Kuala Langat parliamentary constituency.
Nearly two-thirds of it covers coastal Banting and Jenjarom, a Chinese new village.
In the 2013 general elections, Loh beat Tan Cheng Chai from MCA and Independent Hamzah Abu Bakar by a 5,391-vote majority.
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