KUALA LUMPUR – DAP has dropped three-term assemblyman Ean Yong Hian Wah as a candidate for the Selangor state election next month and will be recommending him for a government-linked post.
DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke, who is also transport minister, said he would recommend Ean Yong for the post of chairman of the Port Klang Authority.
Also dropped from the candidates’ list was Lau Weng San, who will be nominated as speaker of the Selangor assembly if the Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional alliance wins the state in the polls on August 12.
Loke said the party wants Lau to be made speaker in exchange for giving the Dusun Tua seat to BN.
Lau is the immediate past incumbent for the Banting seat. In the previous term, he was Kg Tunku assemblyman.
“When we gave Dusun Tua to BN, the condition was that we want the speaker’s post, and we will nominate Lau for it if PH-BN win in Selangor.
“It is not a seat swap. We suggested that we (DAP) be given the speaker’s post but for someone who is not an assemblyman. This was our condition and the prime minister agreed to it,” Loke said at a press conference today to announce DAP’s 15 candidates in the Selangor polls.
Dusun Tua, a Malay-majority seat was won by DAP’s Edry Faizal in the 2018 general election.
Loke also said that BN, which is contesting 12 seats in Selangor this round, was also given the Gombak seat from PKR.
Another familiar name from DAP who will not be contesting is Datuk Teng Chan Khim, the immediate past incumbent for Bandar Baru Klang who previously announced his plan to retire after this term.
Loke today expressed his thanks to Ean Yong and Teng, both of the Selangor executive counsillors, for giving way to fresh faces as part of the party’s continuous renewal process. – The Vibes, July 24, 2023