KUALA LUMPUR – As expected, DAP’s youth wing (Dapsy) will be seeing a new chief as incumbent Howard Lee has “graduated” to running for the central executive committee (CEC), leaving his post wide open to three contenders.
A list of candidates – released ahead of the wing’s national congress on Saturday – sees Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen, Bandar Utama assemblywoman Jamaliah Jamaluddin, and current Dapsy secretary Eric Teh Hoong Keat vying for the top spot.
The list sighted by The Vibes also shows Sarawakian Abdul Aziz Isa Marindo, Alice Lan Suet, and assistant secretary for DAP women’s wing Young Syefura Othman (Rara) vying for the post of Dapsy deputy chief.
Another seven candidates, including Federal Territories publicity secretary Raja Ahmad Iskandar Fareez Raja Shamsul Kamal, Annun Nancy Gunasekaran, Jason Raj Kirupanantha, Keristinah Philip Selvaarju, Michelle Ng Mei Sze, and Ginger Phoong Jin Zhe, are contending to be among the four designated vice-chiefs.
The Dapsy secretary post is being contested by Jenny Choy Tsi Jen from Perak, and Wayne Ong Chun Wei from Selangor.
Meanwhile, 32 candidates are contesting to become members of Dapsy’s central committee.
Dapsy youth chief hopeful Dr Yii – presumed to be the frontrunner – has recently urged Pakatan Harapan to re-evaluate its strategy and bring in more young candidates following the opposition’s defeat in the recent Johor election.
Teh’s recent claim to fame, on the other hand, came last November when he urged opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to step down following PKR’s defeat in the Melaka election.
On March 15, The Vibes reported that a new line-up of leaders is expected to be presented at DAP’s congress and party polls this weekend.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the DAP CEC could see a change when Lim Guan Eng – who had served three terms in the post – was obliged to resign as secretary-general.
Lim has held the post for 18 years.
Seremban MP Anthony Loke was seen as the preferred candidate to replace Lim, and it was no secret that he was prepared to take over the party’s leadership.
Apart from the change in the post of secretary-general, Chow, who is also DAP vice-chairman, said an amendment to the party’s new constitution would see women make up at least 30% of the CEC.
The number of CEC members would also be increased from 25 previously to 30 people, he said. – The Vibes, March 17, 2022
