Malacca DAP rebel quartet to run as independents

GE14 | Four incumbent DAP elected representatives in Malacca have declared their intention to run as independent candidates this time around.

The four are Kota Melaka MP Sim Tong Him, Duyong state assemblyperson Goh Leong San, Bachang state assemblyperson Lim Jak Wong and Kesidang state assemblyperson Chin Choong Seong.

The group, which referred to themselves as the Justice Alliance, intend to field Goh for the Kota Melaka parliamentary seat and the Kesidang state seat.

Sim will be fielded in Kota Laksamana, while Lim and Chin will contest in Ayer Keroh and Bandar Hilir respectively.

When contacted, Sim said that all four candidates hope they would be able to use the "key" logo at the ballot box. The "key" is one of 30 logos available to independent candidates.

"Ideally, we want to use the 'key'. I used that when I contested (for Kota Laksamana) as an independent in 2013.

"I chose the key because you need a key for everything - a house or a car, for example - The key is a starter," he told Malaysiakini.

Sim (photo) said although the general view of independent candidates was that they were on a suicide mission, but the Justice Alliance's mission was to provide an alternative to the two main coalitions.

"We want to start a new political scenario in Malacca... We want to tell people that you still have a 'key' to a third choice," he said.

All seats which the four seek to contest are seats where DAP have won in 2008 and 2013 with large margins.

However, Sim said the four were aware of this but they are also familiar with their chosen seats.

"We are not going to places such as Duyong, lest we are accused of playing spoilers. Our job is to present a third choice," he said.

Goh and his allies have been known to have a very long feud with DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng over control of Malacca DAP.

In 2005, Malacca DAP had successfully voted Lim and his wife Betty Chew out of the party's state committee.

By February 2017, tempers boiled over and the four decided to leave the party, bringing with them many years of experience.  - Mkini