DAP Penang Battle Royal - Prof Dr Ramasamy against Dr Koh Tsu Koon; DAP Troubles – Pahang Chief Resigns ALL & Not Contesting; Persuaded as Chief

The Big fight in Penang will be in Batu Kawan Parliamentary Seat where Dr Koh(ABOVE) is pitched against Prof Ramasamy both were academics.
ABOVE: The new DAP faces at the back: Jeff Ooi (Left) & Liew Chin Tong

Latest: February 21, 2008 16:27 PM

DAP To Field Three New Faces For Penang Parliamentary Seats

PENANG, Feb 21 (Bernama) -- Three new faces will be among the seven DAP candidates who will contest the parliamentary seats here on March 8. Its secretary Lim Guan Eng said the party was confident of victory. "This is the first time the party has named the candidates early because we want to start work fast," he told a press conference here today.

The new faces are :-
Jeff Ooi (Jelutong),
Prof Dr P. Ramasamy (Batu Kawan) against Dr Koh Tzu Koon and
Liew Chin Tong (Bukit Bendera).
Lim Guan ENG will contest in Bagan,
Karpal Singh in Bukit Gelugor against MCA's Datuk Koay Kar Huah
Chong Eng in Bukit Mertajam and
Chow Kon Yeow in Tanjung.
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Guan Eng to lead DAP charge in Penang; Regina William, Llew-Ann Phang and Pauline Puah

ABOVE: Karpal Singh & Lim Guan Eng and BELOW: DAP big guns in Penang

PENANG (Feb 20, 2008): DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng today announced that he is leading the party into the March 8 General Election in Penang - ending months of speculation. Guan Eng also postponed announcing the party state line-up for the parliamentary seats in the state because one candidate, Professor P.Ramasamy, was absent. The DAP is planning to contest seven parliamentary and 19 state seats in Penang. Also present in the press conference were party veteran Lim Kit Siang, party chairman Karpal Singh, Wanita chief and deputy secretary-general Chong Eng, state chairman Chow Kon Yeow, DAP strategist Liew Chin Tong, blogger Jeff Ooi, incumbent Bagan MP Lim Hock Seng and incumbent Sungai Puyu assemblyman Phee Boon Poh.

Penang DAP's parliamentary line-up looks almost a sure bet with Chong Eng defending Bukit Mertajam, Chow defending Tanjung and Karpal Singh switching from Bukit Gelugor to Bagan on the mainland.
Guan Eng is expected to contest in Karpal Singh's Bukit Gelugor while Ooi is likely to stand in Jelutong, Liew in Bukit Bendera and Ramasamy in Batu Kawan. Guan Eng said his decision to contest in Penang is to lead the people's movement of change from Umno's political dominance towards a functioning democracy with check and balances.
"Due to the prominence of Penang to the DAP as a front-line state, both Penang DAP and the party central executive committee (CEC) stressed on the importance of featuring a strong line-up of professionals and mix to reflect the seriousness of the 2008 General Election to Penangites," said Guan Eng. He said the people of Penang must ensure the DAP win at least 14 state seats to deny BN its two-thirds majority.
"The DAP is even willing to support Gerakan in the state assembly to ensure the Penang Chief Minister's post does not fall to Umno," Guan Eng said.

Kit Siang, who celebrated his 67th birthday yesterday, made a wish while cutting his cake in the press conference. When asked what he wished for, Kit Siang said it was related to March 8. "Ask me on March 8 and I will tell you if it came true."

On speculations that he is moving to Bagan and this had upset supporters of four-term Bagan MP Hock Seng and incumbent Sungai Puyu assemblyman Phee, Karpal said: "We are trying to resolve the problem." Both their supporters have vowed to boycott the general election Hock Seng and Phee are moved.
Karpal Singh said: "It's really not an issue. I do not know why it went to the press, it is not quite right. It 's not a problem actually and should not be an issue. I never said I was going there and the party will decide."
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Pahang DAP chief resigns all party posts (updated)
By SIM LEOI LEOI and CECIL FUNG; Wednesday February 20, 2008; MYT 8:56:26 PM
BENTONG: In a dramatic about turn, Pahang DAP chief Lip Tuck Chee tendered his resignation, only to withdraw it four hours later. In an interview earlier at his house, Lip, who cited party infighting and the jostling of state seats among hopefuls as the main reason for his decision, had said that it was "no use."
However, after a phone call around 8pm by party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, Lip agreed to remain as state chief until the general election was over. This drama came in the wake of the decision by Batu Gajah incumbent Fong Po Kuan not to defend her seat and days before nomination on Feb 24.

"He advised me to remain because the general election is so near although I have said that I would not change my mind. "But I will continue with my plan to resign as chairman of the committee for elections and will not stand in the election as a candidate," he said. Lip had drafted and faxed a two-page resignation letter in Chinese around 3.30pm on Wednesday.

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February 20, 2008 23:08 PM

Pahang DAP Chairman Resigns

KUANTAN, Feb 20 (Bernama) -- Pahang DAP chairman Lip Tuck Chee is reported to have relinguished his post. His resignation later was faxed to the offices of Chinese newspapers in Pahang Wednesday. When Bernama sought his comment on the matter, he said: "I will explain at the appropriate time." Sources said Lip resigned because the party's national leadership had rejected his recommendation for the Triang state seat election.

They said Lip nominated state DAP secretary Choong Siew Onn to contest for the seat but the national leadership wanted the incumbent, Leong Ngah Ngah, to stay on.

Leong, who is Pahang DAP deputy chairman, became the only candidate from the party who won in the state in the 2004 general election when he beat Barisan Nasional's Tan Ah Been by 605 votes.

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Pahang DAP chief quit all party posts

PETALING JAYA (Feb 20, 2008): Pahang DAP chief Lip Tuck Chee has quit from all party posts due to internal jostling for seats with nomination day drawing closer. “I feel very disappointed,” he said, adding that his decision is final.

“The candidates for the Pahang seats have been decided but there was a jostle for the Teras assembly seat that has been assigned to me,” he said, adding that he rejected another offer from the party to contest in a parliamentary seat. It is learnt that Lip, who was initially allocated the Teras state seat, had to give it up to Choong Siew Onn who was also the DAP candidate in the 2002 Ketari state by-election. He had contested in six general elections and two by-elections since 1978 but lost in all. DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng declined to comment on the matter as he had yet to look at the resignation letter.

= == == == == == = == tentative DAP Line-up in Selangor

SELAGOR DAP

In PETALING JAYA, Selangor DAP chairman Au Yong Hian Wah said yesterday the party is contesting four parliamentary and 16 state seats.

In a press conference to announce its state election manifesto yesterday, Au Yong declined to reveal the state's list of candidates. Speculation is that he would be contesting in the Seri Kembangan state seat. It is also learnt that the party is eying the parliamentary seats of Petaling Jaya Utara (PJU), Serdang, Puchong and Klang. DAP lost all the four parliamentary seats it contested in 2004 and secured only the Sekinchan (Ng Swee Lim) and Sungai Pinang (Teng Cheng Kim) state seats. It contested in 17 state seats. Focus is expected to be on the party’s rising star, DAP secretary-general’s economic adviser Tony Pua, who will take on incumbent Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun (BN-MCA) in PJU. Barring last minute changes, DAP chairman Karpal Singh’s son, lawyer Gobind Singh Deo, is slated to contest in Puchong against incumbent Lau Yeng Peng (BN-Gerakan).

In Serdang , DAP is expected to field 27 year-old woman lawyer Teo Nie Ching. The incumbent Serdang MP is MCA’s veteran Datuk Yap Pian Hon who is widely speculated to be replaced by incumbent Balakong assemblyman Datuk Hoh Hee Lee. Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) activist Charles Santiago is likely to be DAP's choice in Klang but a last minute change may see Teng being fielded. Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo had confirmed MCA’s state liaison chief Datuk Ch’ng Toh Eng as BN's candidate for Klang, unceremoniously replacing incumbent Datin Paduka Dr Tan Yee Kew (International Trade and Industry parliamentary secretary). Ng and Teng have been tipped to defend their state seats.

Incumbent Seputeh MP Teresa Kok while defending her parliamentary seat, is now expected to also contest in the Kinrara sate seat.

Other seats that DAP are vying are: Pandamaran (Ronnie Liu), Kota Alam Shah (Peter Tan), Subang Jaya (Hannah Yeoh), Kampung Tunku (Lau Weng San), Damansara Utama (Dr Cheah Wing Yin), Bukit Gasing (Edward Lee), Rawang (M.Batumalai), Kuala Kubu Baru (K.A Ramu), Teratai (Janice Lee Yong Ha), Balakong (Yap Lum Chin), Sungai Pelek (A.Sivananthan) and Telok Datuk (Philip Tan).

The Selangor DAP’s election manifesto was modified from the party’s national election manifesto with a motto “Just Change it!”.
Au Yong urged the voters in Selangor to just change it for:
> Safer streets;
> Lower Costs;
> Quality Education;
> Clean Government and
> Stronger Opposition

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Thursday February 14, 2008
DAP rockets into Penang eyeing seven parliamentary seats

By LIM AI LEE; STAR

PENANG: The stage is set for a battle royal in Penang. For Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon who has announced his intention to move to the federal level, a seat swap is on the cards. A party insider said a proposal has been submitted to the state Gerakan liaison committee for Dr Koh to swap his Tanjung Bungah seat for the Bukit Bendera parliamentary seat held by Gerakan secretary-general Datuk Seri Chia Kwang Chye. He dismissed speculation that Dr Koh would contest the Batu Kawan parliamentary seat or a seat in Selangor, adding that the acting party president need not move out of his base as Gerakan had won Bukit Bendera by 10,717 votes in the 2004 general election.

Pep talk: Former state exco member Datuk Khor Gark Kim (second from right) chatting with Penang DAP leaders at his house Wednesday. Meanwhile, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, who is leading the opposition party's campaign in Penang, is likely to contest the Bukit Gelugor parliamentary seat on the island while national party chairman Karpal Singh will move over to Bagan in Seberang Prai, another opposition stronghold. It is also learnt that Guan Eng is likely to contest the Paya Terubong state seat, which the MCA won by 1,392 votes in 2004. A DAP source said the party would not let Guan Eng be sacrificed in an area where he could lose. Karpal Singh declined to comment on whether he would seek re-election in Bukit Gelugor but would only say that the seat was “not personal to holder”.

In Bukit Gelugor, Guan Eng will face the MCA's Datuk Koay Kar Huah, a state exco member. Koay, a three-term assemblyman, will not be re-contesting the Seri Delima state seat, paving the way for a new MCA face, businessman Loh Nam Hooi. Other “rocketmen” planning to launch their political debut in Penang are blogger Jeff Ooi, who is tipped to stand in Jelutong, political scientist Prof Dr P. Ramasamy in Batu Kawan and party strategist Liew Chin Tong in Bukit Bendera – all parliamentary seats. The state MCA is fielding seven new faces, including three women.

Among those who have received the green light to seek re-election are Lee Hack Teik (Pengkalan Kota), Datuk Lim Gim Soon (Kampung Kolam), Datuk Lau Chiek Tuan (Berapit), Tan Cheng Liang (Jawi) and Ooi Chuan Aik (Bagan Jermal) who are all noted for their good service records. The new faces include state Wanita chief Ooi Siew Kim, lawyer Sharon Song and municipal councillor Teh Lay Cheng.

State DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow said the party was eyeing three more parliamentary seats in addition to retaining its four parliamentary seats. It is also targeting six state seats apart from the Sungai Puyu seat which it won in 2004.

Gerakan holds three parliamentary seats and 13 state seats while the MCA won one parliamentary and nine state seats in Penang four years ago.

= == = =and DAP in Perak

DAP to contest 7 parliament, 18 state seats in Perak
Pauline Puah, Regina William, Jonathan Chen, K.Letchumy Tamboo and Llew-Ann Phang ; theSUN

PETALING JAYA (Feb 19, 2008): DAP will be contesting seven parliamentary and 18 state seats in Perak in the March 8 general election. DAP veteran leader Lim Kit Siang told theSun the seven parliamentary seats are Ipoh Timur, Ipoh Barat, Batu Gajah, Taiping, Beruas, Kampar and Teluk Intan. DAP will also contest all the nine state seats in the Kinta Valley - Canning, Tebing Tinggi, Pasir Pinji, Bercham, Kepayang, Buntong, Jelapang, Menglembu and Tronoh. Other state seats that DAP would be contesting are Pokok Assam, Aulong, Jalong, Pantai Remis, Malim Nawar, Keranji, Setiawan, Pasir Bedamar and Sungkai.

Earlier, seat negotiations between DAP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) were in a stalemate as PKR was also keen to contest some state seats in the Kinta Valley. It led to a war of words between leaders of both parties, to the point that both parties had to prepare for three-cornered fights if the negotiations failed. it Siang said he and PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had in a joint press conference today announced both parties’ commitment to avoid three-cornered fights. DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and PKR vice-president Dr Lee Boon Chye were also present in the press conference.

In 2004, Lee who had been active in Ipoh Timur had to give way to Kit Siang and contested in Gopeng where he was defeated. Lee, when contacted, said the party will be announcing the seats it is contesting once its negotiations with PAS are finalised. “We will announce the list in a day or two,” said Lee who is expected to go for Gopeng again.

On whether there would be a three-corner fight in Jalong state seat since Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) which would contest under PKR’s ticket also expressed its interest to contest the seat, Lee said: “We will sort that out later.” PSM had announced that it would rather go for a three-cornered fight if DAP refused to let go of the Jalong state and Sungai Siput parliamentary seats. In the 2004 general election, PSM contested on a PKR ticket as it is unregistered, and DAP fought in a three-cornered fight for the Sungai Siput seat held by MIC president Datuk Seri S.Samy Vellu.

Samy Vellu won with a majority of 10,349 votes while PRM's Dr D.Jeyakumar polled 8,680 vote and DAP’s P.P.Samugam garnered 2,890.