• UPDATED at 5.55PM with comments from Perak DAP adviser Ngeh Koo Ham.

Drama unravelled inside and outside the Ipoh Court Complex this morning where Perak state executive councillor Paul Yong's rape trial went through case management.

According to The Star, lawyer Gabriel Susayan told the court that the alleged victim could be a "political pawn." Susayan is holding a watching brief for the Indonesian domestic worker's family.

Yong's lawyer Ramkarpal Singh interjected and said a police report should have been lodged over such an allegation.

Speaking to reporters later, the DAP assemblyperson's lead counsel Leong Cheok Keng said the alleged victim's lawyers could be privy to certain information.

"I have yet to receive further information from the (watching brief) solicitors as to why they said that.

"They may have been privy to certain information for them to make the allegation that the maid could be a 'pawn in a political game' or a 'political pawn'," he added.

The case has been set for mention on Oct 22, with the trial commencing from Nov 11 to 15.

Yong is accused of raping the 23-year-old domestic worker at his residence on July 7, which he has denied.

Outside the court, Yong's supporters staged a protest against Perak DAP chief Nga Kor Ming.

Nga, who is now in Kazakhstan, had earlier instructed Perak DAP leaders in local governments to show support for Yong.

Among others, the exco's supporters chanted "Nga Kor Ming letak jawatan" (Resign, Nga Kor Ming).

There was a rift in Perak DAP after Nga (photo) told reporters that while Yong was only taking leave from his state government position, Pakatan Harapan would discuss the matter further, based on "current developments."

Following this, Yong's lawyer Leong, who is also Perak DAP deputy treasurer, and the party's state assistant secretary Leow Thye Yih both quit their posts over Nga's statement.

Leow subsequently called Nga a dictator and accused him of rigging the Perak DAP elections. He also demanded Nga to resign.

The Perak DAP committee has denied the allegation of election rigging.

Meanwhile, state DAP adviser Ngeh Koo Ham dismissed the anti-Nga protesters as only a small fringe group compared to the other supporters.

"There was a small group of people who planned to capitalise on Yong's case for their own agenda in total disregard to his feelings and interests.

"Yong has informed me that this group has nothing to do with him," Ngeh said in a statement.

He said the group was only trying to create friction between Yong and the Perak DAP leadership.