TRONOH, March 11 — About 100 DAP members and supporters staged a protest in front of Tronoh assemblyman Paul Yong Choo Kiong’s service centre here today.

The group demanded that Yong resign as the Tronoh assemblyman. On Monday, the latter had quit the party to support Perikatan Nasional (PN) and turn Independent.

The group also called Yong a “traitor” and chanted “Paul Yong letak jawatan” (Paul Yong resign) while holding placards and banners in a protest that lasted roughly 30 minutes.

DAP Menglembu Timur division chief Danny Ooi, 47, who represented the group, said that Yong should resign as he won the seat because of DAP support.

“People did not vote for Yong because of who he is, but because of the party.

“The traitor doesn’t deserve to be the assemblyman in this constituency. He should resign for betraying the party and the people,” he told reporters when met at the protest.

“Without DAP, who is Paul Yong?” he asked.

Ooi said even though Yong was not the cause of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government’s demise in Perak, he stressed that Yong had betrayed the mandate given by the people to him and supported a “back door government”.

“Why he has to support PN? Our comrades are very sad and disappointed with him,” he added.

Another protester, Phang Hean Chun, 53, a lifetime member of the DAP Manjung division, said that Yong should resign to prove his innocence.

“Prove to us that you’re not a traitor by resigning. Let’s have a by-election. Show us you still have the support from the people.

“Where is your dignity and integrity? How could you betray the party and people?” he said.

The situation grew tense after a group of Yong’s supporters who were at the service centre countered the protest by chanting “long live Paul Yong”.

 However, police personnel who were at the scene were quick to diffuse the situation and separated both groups from clashing.

Meanwhile, Yong’s political secretary Kong Lai Ling said that Yong’s supporters had turned up voluntarily to support the assemblyman.

“We did not invite them. They came forward voluntarily after knowing that there is a protest against Yong today,” she said.

Kong played down the protest by saying that it did not affect the service centre’s daily operation.

“Despite the protest, we still have people coming to seek help from Yong. Our service centre is open as usual,” she added.

When asked if a police report will be lodged on the protest for their safety, Kong said it is under consideration.

On Monday, Yong together with A. Sivasubraniam (DAP-Buntong) and Hasnul Zulkarnain Abdul Munaim (Amanah-Titi Serong) announced their departure from their respective parties to become Independents backing PN’s mentri besar.

Yesterday, Yong in a statement accused Perak DAP chairman Nga Kor Ming and DAP advisor Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham of instigating people to stage a protest in front of his service centre.

Yong also accused the duo of being the reason why the Perak PH government fell.