Ong’s exit a major loss for DAP, says Ramasamy

Urimai chairman P Ramasamy has expressed disappointment over Ong Kian Ming's departure from the Democratic Action Party (DAP). Ramasamy, a former Penang DAP deputy chairman, considers Ong an important figure within the party, particularly in election preparations and analyzing voting trends. He notes that Ong was an academic in political science, making him a key asset to DAP's election strategies.

Ramasamy believes that Ong's independent mindset led him to question the party's future, which is why he wasn't fielded in the 2022 general election. Despite being a loyalist in the party, Ong's views seemed to diverge from the party's top leadership, leading to his exit.

The chairman highlights that Ong was one of the first to identify the decline in Indian support for DAP due to the party's marginalization and purge of Indian leaders. Ramasamy believes that the party has succumbed to Malay hegemony, with little regard for an independent political direction based on dignity and pride.

Ong announced his resignation from DAP after about 14 years. He does not plan to join another party or contest in the next general election, but he has agreed to help former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin in his campaign for the 2018 general election. Ong served as Serdang MP from 2013 to 2018 and then as Bangi MP from 2018 to 2022. He also served as deputy international trade and industry minister from 2018 to 2020.