DAP parliamentary whip Anthony Loke confirmed Sim’s status in reply to Sim’s question as to whether he still represented the DAP in Parliament.

Loke said Sim had not been sacked but only suspended for 12 months, effective Feb 6 this year, by the DAP disciplinary committee.

“Sim has only been suspended, not fired. He is still a member of DAP, and his seat as Kota Melaka MP for DAP remains unchanged,” Loke said at a press conference at the Parliament lobby.

“I also never asked the Dewan Rakyat Speaker to change his seat in the Dewan Rakyat.

“Every DAP representative must hold to the principle that they have won their seats in Parliament or the state assembly on a DAP ticket. As long as a member has not been fired or has left the party, his seat remains taken by DAP.”

Loke also dismissed the statement made by Malacca State Legislative Assembly Speaker Othman Muhamad that Duyong assemblyman Goh Leong San is now an independent lawmaker.

He said Goh still represented the DAP and was in the same position as Sim in that he had only been suspended, not sacked.

“The Malacca Legislative Assembly Speaker’s decision to announce the status of Duyong assemblyman Goh Leong San (as an independent) is wrong,” Loke said.

“The letter sent from the DAP secretary-general (Lim Guan Eng) to the Malacca State Legislative Assembly Speaker only states the party’s decision to appoint Ayer Keroh assemblyman Khoo Poay Tiong as the state’s new opposition leader, replacing Goh. Bandar Hilir assemblyman Tey Kok Kiew has been appointed as the DAP chief whip.”