DAP Secretary General and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has urged DAP to stay united and focused when facing BN’s attack on the party signaled by their hiring of Muhammad Shafee Abdullah on behalf of the Registrar of Societies  (ROS) in a civil action with the DAP over their party’s internal polls.

DAP had filed a lawsuit against the ROS for not recognizing the party’s internal polls that was held in September last year. The appointment of Shafee Abdullah is viewed by the party as a determined attempt by the government to de-register DAP.

“Is the Attorney-General chambers so lacking in professional and competent lawyers that they have to outsource for hired “fighters” to fix up political opponents of BN?,” asked the DAP Secretary General in his statement today.

“The hiring of  Muhammad Shafee is a signal that the BN is going all out to finish off not only Karpal but also the DAP,” he added.

Karpal who recently stepped down as DAP National Chairman, asked yesterday if the Attorney-General Chambers is so devoid of personnel of caliber that Shafee Abdullah had to be appointed instead to act for the Registrar of Societies.

“Must the tax-payer, in addition to be responsible for the salaries and other benefits for those employed in the Attorney-General’s Chambers, also make provision for payment to Muhammad Shafee Abdullah for his services as an advocate and solicitor to the Attorney-General’s Chambers?,” asked Karpal.

The move to hire Shafee Abdullah has been collectively condemned by DAP leaders including Gelang Patah MP Lim Kit Siang, who questioned today, if the whole exercise to destroy DAP has been “outsourced” at the public’s expense.