BUKIT Mertajam MP Steven Sim has been elected as the new Penang DAP chief while Tanjong MP Lim Hui Ying, was retained as the state chapter’s secretary.
The newly elected central committee decided on this, which was in line with a formula mooted by DAP Secretary-general Anthony Loke , who had proposed Sim as the state chief and Lim as its secretary.
The 15-member committee also voted in Ramkarpal Singh as Penang DAP deputy chief, Zairil Khir Johari and Yeoh Soon Hin as its deputy chairman.
The new DAP state committee’s lineup is for the term 2024 to 2027.
Hui Ying, who is also the deputy finance minister lost her top five ranking in the Penang DAP ordinary elections when from a previous position of four in 2020, she fell to 12 out of the 15 winning candidates after 1,452 delegates cast their ballots earlier today.
Hui Ying managed a 12 spot despite the earlier speculations that she was a front runner to be the next chief minister should she fare well in the state election.
Quick analysis of the vote, it appeared that the Penang DAP delegates, of which 20% were non - Chinese had rejected an earlier proposal of party secretary - General Anthony Loke Siew Fook to reign in a new leadership pairing of Sim, who is also Human Resources Minister and Hui Ying.
Instead, the delegates went for a combination of leaders associated with the outgoing Penang DAP chairperson Chow Kon Yeow and old guards relegating state DAP secretary Lim to number 12.
Iconic DAP leader- the late Datuk Seri Karpal Singh's third eldest son Ramkarpal Singh Deo finished an impressive first out of the 15 candidates.
It showed the family name left behind by Karpal still resonates here although his eldest son Jagdeep Singh Deo, who is the Deputy Chief Minister only managed a 19 spot.
Leaders associated with Chow, who is the Penang Chief Minister, finished respectfully high with former Paya Terubong assemblyman Yeoh Sin Hin grabbing the number three spot, Soon Lip Chee number 11 and Teh Lai Heng number 14.
Party veteran Phee Boon Poh's daughter Phee Syn Tze and his younger brother Phee Boon Chee also finished in the top 15.
Sim took second place while rounding up the 15 member list was Zairil Khir Johari (4), Gooi Zi Sen (5), another veteran Lay Hock Peng (6), Jason H'ng Mooi Lye (7), Joshua Woo Sze Zeng (8), Lim Siew Khim (10), and Jelutong MP R.S.N. Rayer (15).
Majority of the winners were either past or present DAP elected representatives.
A notable absentee was Wong Hon Wai, who despite earlier indications that he was one of the dark horses for the post of chief ministership, was left out of the lineup.
Party observers said that the Penang DAP delegates had their own mind on who was best to lead the state leadership chapter, rejecting the notion that Lim should be placed high. – September 22, 2024.
