KUALA LUMPUR – Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan has hit back at baseless accusations of apostasy levelled against him following his election to the Democratic Action Party’s (DAP) Central Executive Committee (CEC).
Syahredzan, who was recently elected as one of DAP’s five vice-chairmen, revealed that social media users had accused him and fellow CEC member Young Syefura Othman of leaving Islam simply for being part of the party’s leadership.
“Since Young Syefura Othman and I were elected to the DAP CEC, various accusations have been thrown at us,” he wrote in a Facebook post. “But the most extreme is the claim that we have become apostates.”
The lawyer-turned-politician suggested that such comments reflected the teachings of certain political leaders, further noting that those making the accusations were hiding behind anonymity.
“Many have suggested that I take legal action, but these comments are anonymous and do not use real names. They do not dare to use their real identities,” he added.
The allegations surfaced following the announcement of DAP’s new leadership for the 2025-2028 term, which saw Gobind Singh Deo appointed as the party’s national chairman, replacing Lim Guan Eng. Lim was named party adviser, while Anthony Loke retained his position as secretary-general.
The party’s latest CEC lineup includes five vice-chairmen—Chong Chieng Jen, Teo Nie Ching, Ng Suee Lim, and J Arul Kumar, and Syahredzan.
The accusations against Syahredzan and Young Syefura echo past attempts by detractors to paint DAP’s Muslim leaders as being at odds with their faith.
However, both politicians have consistently dismissed such narratives, maintaining that their involvement in the party is based on principles of justice, democracy, and good governance.
The DAP CEC election, held at the IDEAL Convention Centre (IDCC) yesterday, saw 65 candidates vying for 30 positions. Over 3,700 party delegates cast their votes, shaping the party’s direction for the next three years. – March 17, 2025