DAP National Organising Secretary Anthony Loke said the party polls were supposed to take place on Sept 29, but its central executive committee (CEC) will hold a meeting soon to decide if it should go ahead with the elections or not.
If it is held as scheduled, Lim, who is also the chief minister of Penang, would have to let go of his party post although he can still contest for any other posts.
“It is not a question of stepping down, he can still contest. But under the party constitution, a secretary-general position can only be held for three terms.
“He can serve in any other capacity,” said Loke in a press conference at the DAP headquarters here today.
He added that the CEC meeting was scheduled to take place in the next couple of weeks and the decision of whether there was a need to postpone the election might be made then.
“We need to discuss this issue in the next CEC meeting as the current term will end by Sept 29.
“The party constitution allows for the election to be postponed for up to 18 months.”
Lim was charged under Section 23 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act for allowing an application to re-zone a piece of land owned by businesswoman Phang Li Khoon’s company, Magnificent Emblem Sdn Bhd (MESB); and Section 165 of the Penal Code for buying a piece of property below market value.
Many have called for him to take a leave of absence pending the court cases against him, but according to Loke, the party would listen instead to voices on the ground.
“That’s why we are conducting town hall meetings where members of the public can give their views. We will also hold question-and-answer sessions.
“The public can raise any issue and provide their views. We are prepared to listen.”
Also present today was DAP National Publicity Secretary Tony Pua, who said he wondered if those attending the town hall meetings would actually echo the calls made by the party’s dissenters.
“We will take all views and deliberate on them,” he said.