SEBERANG PERAI, July 27 — A former DAP city councillor, David Marshel, has announced his decision to quit the party and contest as an independent in the Perai state seat in the upcoming state elections.

The 47-year-old, who has been in DAP for 15 years, said he has to do something to stop an alleged plot to oust caretaker Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow.

"I will stand as an independent candidate in support of Chow as the Penang chief minister,” he said when contacted by Malay Mail.

This is despite him going against a DAP candidate, a new face, S. Sundarajoo.

Former Perai assemblyman and Deputy Chief Minister II P. Ramasamy was dropped from defending the seat he has held for three terms.

David said it was not merely about Ramasamy being dropped from the seat, but it was more of the bigger issue of DAP national chairman Lim Guan Eng allegedly plotting to seize back the chief ministership.

"He has effectively dropped candidates who are supporters of Chow, and I can say that 17 out of the 19 DAP candidates are Lim’s supporters,” he said.

David alleged that there was a plot for Chow to lose his Penang DAP chairman post in the party elections in March next year.

"Once they remove Chow as the state chairman, they will then plot to oust him as chief minister, change the state constitution and Lim will take over as chief minister again,” he said.

Penang’s state constitution limits the term of the chief minister to a maximum of only two terms.

Lim had served as chief minister for two terms between 2008 and 2018 and based on the state constitution, he will not be able to serve as chief minister again.

David, who is the former Kampung Jawa Auto City branch chief, admitted that he will be the underdog in the election when standing as an independent.

"It is a democracy which allows for independent candidates, so I will take my chances and do this as a way to show my support for Chow,” he said.

David had earlier held a press conference at Ramasamy’s Perai service centre to announce this.

He said no others in the party dared speak out about this, but he will have to do it to save the party and Chow.

When asked whether he is prepared to face legal suits by Lim over the allegations he made, David said it is a free democratic country.

"This is what I know, and I am voicing what I know, if he wants to sue, he can sue, he’s not going to shut me up,” he said.

He said there will be no democracy and freedom of speech if everyone is afraid to speak out in fear of being sued.

David will be joining a multi-cornered fight against Gerakan’s R. Sivasuntaram, DAP’s S. Sundarajoo and Muda’s H. Vikneswary in the Perai seat.

The Penang state elections will be held concurrently with Kedah, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Terengganu and Kelantan on August 12.

Malay Mail has reached out to Lim for his comment on David’s allegations, but he has yet to respond.

In the recent announcement of candidates by DAP, five former state excos were dropped from the list while seven new candidates were fielded.

Those dropped were Ramasamy, DAP wanita chief Chong Eng, Phee Boon Poh, Yeoh Soon Hin and Soon Lip Chee.

Former Bagan Dalam assemblyman M. Satees and Pulau Tikus assemblyman Chris Lee Chun Kit were also dropped.

Lee had cited health reasons to withdraw from the candidacy while Satees had called a press conference yesterday alleging that DAP has become a "one man party” under the control of an "emperor”.

DAP will be contesting in 19 out of the 40 state seats.