BATU PAHAT – The blue-eyed boy of DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang has managed to retain control of Johor DAP after the party’s biennial poll was concluded here.
But, it also became a show of the power of young women when three female candidates finished in the top five among 15 others elected by delegates here.
Incumbent chairman Senator Liew Chin Tong was congratulated for his victory, which was a tough one as he had to take on a former aide and state DAP secretary Tan Hong Pin.
However, it was apparent that the main victor was former minister Yeo Bee Yin, who finished top with 631 votes.
Second was former deputy minister Teo Nie Ching with 577 and Liew with 561.
Senai rep Wong Shu Qi came in a strong fifth with 555 votes while Skudai rep Tan finished 16th with 485.
Former Johor DAP chairman Dr Boo Cheng Hau finished 14th with 495 votes.
Dr Boo, who graduated from Iowa State Cyclones University in the US, had made way several years ago to accommodate Liew, who began his political career in Penang by winning the Bukit Bendera Parliament seat, but chose to migrate to Johor spurred by Lim’s encouragement.
The non-Chinese candidates who won were Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali and Senator S. Ramakrishnan.
Party insiders said that Liew won because the delegates listened to his call for the party to rally behind him, as the party strategist represents the future of the socialist organisation.
“It was Liew’s selection of 11 representatives who were all voted en bloc, leaving the rest for the grassroots to decide, and the fact that they voted in Dr Boo illustrates that they want local leaders, too.”
Besides Liew, Yeo and Teo had previously contested in Selangor before and they returned to their birth state of Johor to contest in the election.
The election was held under strict Covid-19 standard operating procedures.
Some insiders speculated that the pandemic had caused many of Tan’s delegates to refrain from attending, due to the long journey from his home base of Johor Baru to Batu Pahat, which is in the central area of the state.
Some delegates apparently decided against taking any chances, owing to the threat of Covid-19.
Earlier, Liew had described DAP as no longer a small party out to make up the numbers, but a strong force that can help its allies win in the next general election.
He believes that the people’s backing for DAP remains steadfast after witnessing the blunders and misgovernance of the present ruling government that came in through the back door, and he urged delegates to have faith in the party. – The Vibes, May 2, 2021
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