Kuala Lumpur: The upcoming DAP party election on March 16 is expected to feature various twists and scenes never seen in the party’s history.
In DAP’s history, elections for the Central Executive Committee at the national level have for many years been centred around Lim Kit Siang and Karpal Singh. The unwritten rule was that these two would win hands down in the national party elections, and the supporters they endorsed would eventually capture the majority of Central Executive Committee positions!
Karpal Singh’s death and Lim Kit Siang’s political retirement have completely transformed DAP’s landscape. Additionally, since 2018, as DAP became part of the government, the political perspectives of the party’s key leaders began to shift due to their governmental positions.
March 16 Party Election – Eagerly anticipated
In the upcoming March 16 National delegates conference of DAP, approximately 60 percent of delegates, or about 2,500 are expected to participate.
As a comparison, for the 2022 national Central Executive Committee election, 52 percent of delegates – about 2,178 – attended.
This year 4,203 delegates from 1,650 branches are eligible to participate in the election.
In this year’s election for 30 Central Executive Committee member positions, a total of 70 candidates have entered the race. Among them, 15 are women and the remaining 55 are men! Out of the 30 positions, 9 are mandatorily reserved for women. Therefore, 55 men are competing for the remaining 21 positions.
However, throughout these election campaigns, everything revolves around just one prominent figure! That person is Lim Guan Eng!
Election centered on Guan Eng
When comes to DAP, neither party members nor other Malaysians can easily forget or move past sacrifices of Lim Kit Siang and Karpal Singh. In 2008, when DAP captured Penang state, although Kit Siang could have easily become the Chief Minister, he stepped aside to pave way for his son Lim Guan Eng to be installed as Chief Minister. He watched Lim Guan Eng taking that position as a proud father.
In 2018, when DAP joined the federal government under Mahathir’s leadership, again Kit Siang could have very easily crowned himself as a minister. But he gracefully handed ministerial positions to fellow party members. Lim Guan Eng became the finance minister in 2018.
No one in DAP disputes or criticizes when a family member of Kit Siang or Karpal Singh holds takes up a key position in the party or government. This is due to the past sacrifices and contributions of the duo to the party in past.
However, the political scenario is completely different today. The March 16 party election will witness changes envisaged by young members who oppose or avoid the excessive spread of dominance by the Lim Kit Siang and Karpal Singh families in both the party and government, along with long-time party members who believe opportunities should be shared.
For example, talks of Lim Guan Eng’s sister Lim Hui Ying’s attempts to become Penang State Chief Minister have created a stir – even turmoil – among party members. Lim Hui Ying has also entered the race as a candidate for the upcoming Central Executive Committee election. Currently, Lim Hui Ying serves as a Member of Parliament from Penang and as Deputy Finance Minister.
It is said that situations like one of Karpal’s sons (Jagdeep Singh Deo) being Deputy Chief Minister and State Assemblyman, another son (Gobind Singh) being federal Minister and Member of Parliament, and a third son (Ram Karpal Singh) being a Member of Parliament in Penang are the reasons for waves of dissatisfaction spreading within the party!
This is also cited as the reason for Gobind Singh’s defeat in the Selangor state DAP election.
DAP’s Indian delegates are also unhappy
The Indian delegates in DAP are also said to be unhappy and dissatisfied with DAP leadership because as in the past there is no Tamil speaking Minister or Deputy Chief Minister in Penang. Former Deputy Chief Minister of Penang Prof P.Ramasamy was replaced by Jagdeep Singh. Current EXCO member Datuk Seri Sundaraju Somu, who was widely expected to take over from Ramasamy after winning the Prai State seat was sidelined.
M.Kulasegaran, the current Deputy Minister and MP for Ipoh Barat who is one of popular Indian faces of DAP has declined to contest in this year’s DAP elections.
The above are some of the reasons why media reports and party circles indicate that several groups are rolling up their sleeves and working to defeat Lim Guan Eng, who is currently the DAP party chief.
Political predictions emerging suggest that this election is an attempt to break the dynastic politics of the Kit Siang family!
Therefore, questions about whether Guan Eng will win as one of the 30 Central Executive Committee members or face a historic defeat are being debated eagerly among political observers.
Considering the past services of Kit Siang and Guan Eng, predictions are also increasing that waves of sympathy for Guan Eng will surge at the last moment, and that he will somehow win in the Central Executive Committee election.
-R. Mutharasan
