DAP to respect Kota Alam Shah rep's decision

GEORGE TOWN: DAP will respect any decision that Kota Alam Shah assemblyman M. Manoharan makes about his post.

However, its secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said it was not necessary for the Hindraf leader to resign.

He said his constituents had voted him as assemblyman in the last general elections despite them knowing of his detention under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

“There were many others like him, including myself once,” said Lim, who is also Penang Chief Minister, at a press conference here today.

He said Manoharan was expected to make a final decision on whether to resign or not as an assemblyman in three or four weeks.

“I have spoken to his wife. She said he was feeling serba-salah (guilty) for not being able to personally serve his constituents as an ISA detainees.

“The thought (to resign) just crossed his mind. He has not made a final decision.

“We feel his sorrow but whatever it is, we will have to respect his decision at the end of the day even though I don’t think it is necessary for him to resign,” he said.

Manoharan, a DAP member, is currently held under ISA at the Kamunting detention centre.

He had told his wife that he would make his decision after meeting party chairman Karpal Singh on May 19.