'Outsider' takes over from Boo

Dr Boo Cheng Hau has been ousted as Johor DAP chief by Liew Chin Tong, a Selangor-born who only recently dabbled in Johor politics.

 

The results of the election today saw Liew placing 14th in the list of 15 elected state DAP central committee while Boo was placed 10th.

 

Party rules dictate that the 15 elected committee members must then elect a leader among themselves.

In the end, nine voted for Liew and five for Boo. There was one spoiled vote.

 

Thus, Boo has been relegated to an ordinary committee member without a portfolio, at least for now, from being the state DAP chairperson since 2005.

Intervention from top leaders?

 

Speaking to Malaysiakini later, Boo hinted that the voting pattern today may have been influenced by the party's central leadership.

 

"It was never me versus Liew. It was me versus Lim Kit Siang," was Boo's curt reply when asked to comment about the results.

 

Boo has long had an uneasy relationship with Kit Siang, the party's most famous face, and his son Guan Eng who is the party secretary general.

 

During the general election last May, Kit Siang, Liew and several other leaders who are based in other states were fielded in Johor.

 

This has led to Boo losing some clout over the choice of candidates and strategies that were applied.

 

The full list of 15 elected committee members, in order of highest votes, follows:

 

1. Gan Peck Cheng

2. Chew Peck Choo

3. Er Teck Hwa

4. Chen Kah Eng

5. S Ramakrishnan

6. Ng Yak Howe

7. Tan Chen Choon

8. Chua Wee Beng

9. Ng Siam Luang

10. Boo Cheng Hau

11. Ahmad Ton

12. Lim Eng Guan

13. Ee Chin Li

14. Liew Chin Tong

15. Teo Nie Ching