SEASONED lawmaker Lim Kit Siang has declined DAP’s offer to make him “mentor” to the party.

In a speech at dinner with DAP leaders and MPs, the iconic opposition member who recently retired from active politics after 60 years, said he would also not be taking on party leadership roles.

Lim said that he had conveyed his decision to new DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke a few days earlier.

“I thank the new central executive committee (CEC) members and DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke for the proposal for me to become DAP mentor. 

“As a die-hard DAP worker, who had spent 56 years of my life to advance the cause of DAP for Malaysia to be a world-class great country and seen DAP metamorphose from a small opposition party in the 1960s to become one of the leading political parties in Malaysia half a century later, I will always be available to offer my views and advice on the future of Malaysia and  the DAP’s new direction. 

“There is no need for any position, and I am therefore declining the CEC proposal to be DAP mentor,” the Iskandar Puteri MP said.

The DAP stalwart said he could not completely retire from politics a “politics impinges on every aspect of one’s life”. 

Last month, the 82-year-old announced his retirement from politics at the DAP convention.

Lim made his political debut in 1966 as the DAP national organising secretary, a post he held until 1969, when he was promoted to secretary-general.

He won his first election the same year when he bagged the Bandar Melaka seat.

Since then, Lim had served the MP of Kota Melaka (1974-1978), Petaling (1978-1982), Kota Melaka (1982-1986), Tanjong (1986-1999), Ipoh Timor (2004-2013) and Iskandar Puteri (2013 to present).

He was also an assemblyman in Malacca and Penang.

Following his decision to retire, the CEC named Lim the party mentor. – April 13, 2022.