DAP top gun needed in Serdang

PETALING JAYA-All eyes are on who DAP will field for the Serdang parliamentary seat in Selangor now that it has parachuted its fiery "chilly padi'" incumbent Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching (pix) to Kulai, Johor.

Previously, various media reports had it that DAP national publicity secretary Tony Pua would be fielded in Kulai to beef up the party's ranks there.

It looks like another "heavyweight" will need to replace Teo in Serdang, as MCA is fielding long-serving politician Datuk Yap Pian Hon there.

Yap, dubbed the political "cat with nine lives", was undefeated in Serdang for almost 30 years but was not chosen to contest in 2008.

He first won a seat in 1969 under the DAP banner.

But his latest nomination did not go down well with a rival MCA faction in Serdang as division chief Datuk Liew Yuen Keong had reportedly alleged that a "traitor" in their midst had traded MCA secrets to allow the DAP to capture the seat in 2008.

Teo had won the seat with a majority of 21,025 votes against MCA's Datuk Hoh Hee Lee.

Quoting a party source, China Press had, in an exclusive report on Wednesday, said Pua may be fielded in Serdang while DAP election strategist Dr Ong Kian Ming is likely to contest in Kepong.

Others have speculated that incumbent Seri Kembangan assemblyman Ean Yong Hian Wah may move up the ranks to contest in Serdang instead.

Ong, using the Twitter handle "imokman", had offered a vague hint the speculation may be true in his tweet.

"The original Mei King Lam Mee is along Jalan Pudu near the DAP HQ, there's a branch in Seri Kembangan, Serdang too," the tweet stated.

With the Selangor Pakatan Rakyat expecting to announce its list of candidates today, Serdang folk will anticipate an all-out fight between two "top guns" of their respective parties in Serdang.

-thesundaily