MELAKA: Melaka DAP leaders unanimously picked vice-chairman Khoo Poay Tiong to helm the party’s state chapter following the resignation of the current chairman.

State DAP deputy chairman G. Saminathan said that the decision to elect Khoo, who is Kota Melaka MP, was made during a committee meeting held on Friday (June 7) night.

He said former Melaka DAP chairman Datuk Tey Kok Kiew had tendered his resignation on June 6 despite an attempt made by the other committee members to convince him to reconsider his decision.

“Hence, we collectively decided to elect Khoo as the new chairman,” he said during a press conference on Saturday (June 8).

This was the second time Tey has tendered his resignation as state party chairman.

He had earlier stepped down as the state party chief in November 2021 following the poor performance of the party during the Melaka Election.

Tey then said he took full responsibility for the results of the state election.

He was re-elected as the state chairman in January 2023.

Meanwhile, Khoo said he considers himself as an interim chairman as the party will hold its annual general assembly in November.

He said the most crucial aspect of his leadership is to ensure there is a strong sense of unity among the DAP members and support towards the unity government at the state as well as the Federal level.

Khoo said the other position in the state committee line-up will remain status quo.

He said the party is also reaching out to Tey to consider returning as the advisor of the state DAP.

Khoo, 54, was the Ayer Keroh assemblyman from 2008 to 2018 and Kota Melaka MP from 2018 onwards.

He joined the party in 1999.