‘Not today’: Gobind keeps politics off the table on National Day as questions turn to Ong Kian Ming’s DAP resignation

‘Not today’: Gobind keeps politics off the table on National Day as questions turn to Ong Kian Ming’s DAP resignation



DAP national chairman Gobind Singh Deo declined to comment on Ong Kian Ming’s resignation from the party, saying National Day was ‘not a day for politics’. — Picture by Yusof Isa


Summary

• On National Day in Putrajaya, DAP national chairman Gobind Singh Deo abstained from commenting on Ong Kian Ming's resignation from the party, emphasizing that the day was not suitable for political discourse.
• Former MP Ong Kian Ming announced his immediate resignation after 14 years, indicating he plans to remain active in public life but will not join another political party or contest in the next general election.
• His departure follows internal discussions within DAP regarding participation in the federal government, amidst calls for accelerated reforms.

By Malay Mail
First Published: Monday, 31 Aug 2026 12:26 PM MYT
Last Modified: Monday, 31 Aug 2026 12:54 PM MYT


PUTRAJAYA, Aug 31 — DAP national chairman Gobind Singh Deo today declined to comment on former Bangi MP Ong Kian Ming’s resignation from the party, saying National Day was not the time for politics.

According to the New Straits Times, Gobind said he had yet to read Ong’s statement and deferred any response to another time.

“No, not today. No politics today. I haven’t read anything he said, so let’s leave it for another time,” the digital minister said when approached by the national daily during the National Day celebrations here.


Ong announced earlier today that he was resigning from DAP with immediate effect after 14 years in the party.


The former Bangi and Serdang MP said he intended to continue contributing to public life alongside like-minded individuals and would assist former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin in his campaign for the 16th general election.

Ong also said he did not plan to join another political party or contest in GE16.

He joined DAP in 2012 and served as Serdang MP from 2013 to 2018 before representing Bangi from 2018 to 2022. He was also deputy international trade and industry minister from 2018 to 2020, and previously served on the party’s central executive committee and Selangor state committee.


His departure comes two weeks after DAP delegates overwhelmingly backed keeping the party’s ministers and deputy ministers in the federal government until the end of the current parliamentary term.

Ahead of that vote, Ong had publicly discussed the arguments for both remaining in government and withdrawing from Cabinet as a means of pressing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for faster reforms.