DAP sec-gen says change is ‘normal,’ after party drops five excos for Penang polls
GEORGE TOWN, July 25 — New candidates being chosen over incumbents was not an unusual phenomenon in elections, DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook said when announcing his party’s hopefuls for the state polls taking place on August 12.
In a ceremony to announce the list of DAP candidates for Kedah and Penang today, Loke said all parties went through the same process.
“There will be some new faces, some former candidates will retire and some will be dropped, this is a normal process in any election,” he said.
As it was a decision that was finalised by the party leadership, Loke said he hoped everyone will accept it.
He called on all party members to support the chosen candidates during the campaign period leading to the state polls.
Loke reminded party members that the candidates’ success would represent wins for the party and Pakatan Harapan.
“There is no such thing as a personal victory because a victory in the election is a victory for the party and PH as a whole,” he said.
He advised the selected candidates to remain humble during campaigning as they bore a huge responsibility to represent DAP and PH.
“I would like to call on all election machineries to unite so that we can defend and win all 19 seats in Penang this election,” he said.
He said DAP has retained all 19 seats in Penang since 2008, and hoped that the party will continue to defend those seats in this state election.
Loke also confirmed the leaked candidates’ list that was earlier reported, in which five former state excos were dropped and seven new faces were fielded.
“I understand Penang believes in transparency, even the candidates’ list is transparent, it was published in the media even before I announced it,” he said.
The five state excos who were dropped were former deputy chief minister II P. Ramasamy, DAP Wanita chief Chong Eng (caretaker social development and non-Islamic religious affairs exco), Phee Boon Poh (welfare and caring society), Yeoh Soon Hin (tourism, arts and culture), and Soon Lip Chee (youth and sports).
However, Loke announced that he will propose Yeoh to be named the Penang Port Commission chairman.
The seven new faces are Phee Syn Tze who will be contesting in Sungai Puyu, Chee Yeeh Keen (Bagan Jermal), K.Krishnan (Bagan Dalam), S. Sundarajoo (Perai), Woo Sze Zeng (Pulau Tikus), Wong Yee Harng (Pengkalan Kota), Tan Hooi Peng (Seri Delima) and Wong Hon Wai (Paya Terubong).
Wong Hon Wai was formerly the Air Itam assemblyman and a state exco between 2008 and 2013. He was the Bukit Bendera MP between 2018 and 2022.
DAP national chairman Lim Guan Eng will continue to defend his Air Putih state seat which he has held since 2008.
Former Pengkalan Kota assemblyman Daniel Gooi Zi Sen will be contesting in Padang Lalang this time around, taking over from Chong.
Meanwhile, new candidate Phee Syn Tze will be defending her father, Phee Boon Poh’s seat, Sungai Puyu.
As for DAP’s candidates in Kedah, Loke announced that Teh Swee Leong will be contesting in Kota Darul Aman and Tan Kok Yew in Derga.
Loke said this state election will decide the future direction of Penang and Malaysia for the next few years.
“The PH unity government’s mission is to retain Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan in this state elections but if possible, we want to win two more states,” he said.
He said if they could achieve good results in the state elections, the country’s political direction will be more stable in the years to come.
