Patto’s daughter among new faces for Penang DAP

Another new name to contest for a parliament seat is Zairil Khir Johari, for Bukit Bendera.

GEORGE TOWN: DAP has decided to drop P Ramasamy from contesting in the Batu Kawan seat and will rely on P Kasthuriraani, the daughter of its former prominent leader Patto, to win the parliament seat again.

Ramasamy meanwhile will only be contesting to win back his Prai state seat.

Kasthuriraani is among the six new faces, including three women, that DAP is unleashing to win in seven federal and 19 state seats the party will contest in Penang.

Another new name to contest for a parliament seat is Zairil Khir Johari, for Bukit Bendera.

Zairil, a close aide of DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, replaces Liew Chin Tong who had moved south to Johor to contest in Kluang federal seat.

Another electoral debutant Steven Sim Chee Keong will contest the Bukit Mertajam federal seat, whose previous MP Chong Eng has moved for the state seat of Padang Lalang replacing Tan Cheong Heng, who had been dropped.

Other newcomers for state seats are DAP women wing head Lim Siew Khim for Sungai Pinang, Yap Soo Huey for Pulau Tikus and Soon Lip Chee for Jawi.

Dropped were Koid Teng Guan (Sungai Pinang), Koay Teng Hai (Pulau Tikus) and Tan Beng Huat (Jawi).

Incumbent Chief Minister Guan Eng will be the only DAP leader to contest double seats in Penang, defending his Bagan federal and Air Putih state seats.

DAP national chairman Karpal Singh will seek re-election in Bukit Gelugor for a third term, while Jeff Ooi Chuan Aun will defend his Jelutong constituency.

DAP state chairman Chow Kon Yeow will only contest Padang Kota state seat. His previous Tanjung parliamentary seat would be contested by DAP state secretary Ng Wei Aik.

Chow’s political aide Teh Lai Heng will contest the Komtar assembly seat, while Lau Keng Ee will defend his neighbouring Pengkalan Kota seat.

Other state seat incumbents are Phee Boon Poh (Sungai Puyu), Lim Hock Seng (Bagan Jermal), A Tanasekharan (Bagan Dalam), Lydia Ong Kok Fooi (Berapit), Teh Yee Cheu (Tanjung Bunga), Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat), Danny Law Heng Kiang (Batu Lanchang), R Sanisvara Nethaji Rayer (Seri Delima), Wong Hon Wai (Air Itam) and Yeoh Soon Hin (Paya Terubong).

In his speech, Chow called on the candidates to work hard to deliver votes and seats to maintain the Pakatan Rakyat state government.

Guan Eng on other hand blasted the Registrar of Society for declaring the party’s central executive committee unlawful only 48-hours from nomination day.

He called on the DAP candidates and workers not to be worried on whether the party can use its Rocket symbol or not since Pakatan allies – PAS (moon) and PKR (eye) had offered theirs.

“Now I am not only a chief minister from DAP, but also from PAS, PKR and the whole Pakatan Rakyat,” he said.

He called party grassroots to be “cool and calm” to strive of this new challenge.

“They try to take our rocket from the DAP. But the rocket is in our heart. They can’t take that away,” Guan Eng rallied his troops.