All eyes on Liew v Tan and Boo at Johor DAP elections

 

(From left) Liew Chin Tong is defending his position against Tan Hong Pin and Dr Boo Cheng Hau.

JOHOR BAHRU: Johor DAP chairman Liew Chin Tong is once again expected to face Johor DAP secretary Tan Hong Pin, and former state DAP chief Dr Boo Cheng Hau at the party’s state elections tomorrow.

The previous elections in 2018 saw Tan and Boo, who are also members of the state executive committee, work together to try dethrone Liew – but the former deputy defense minister managed to defend his position as Johor DAP chief.

The fiery clash is expected to be the star attraction at tomorrow’s 20th Johor DAP convention and elections in Batu Pahat, where voting will be held shortly after the opening speech.

Johor DAP deputy chairman Teo Nie Ching is also among the 40 candidates who will contest tomorrow’s election which will be conducted in two stages, the first for the election of state committee members, followed by the election of the 15 state leaders.

Party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and party veteran Lim Kit Siang will be unable to attend tomorrow’s proceedings as they are currently in quarantine after coming into contact with a Covid-19 positive patient but Kit Siang has thrown his hat behind Liew and Teo.

In a statement yesterday, he said: “I call on all MPs, state assembly members and contending candidates to close ranks and rally behind the leadership of Liew Chin Tong and Teo Nie Ching to take Johor DAP to new heights – which is to be the front-line state for DAP and Pakatan Harapan to win the 15th general election.”

In a statement earlier today, Kit Siang noted that “nobody was bothered” about Johor DAP party elections for the past 50 years, but it was now the “top national news and focus” thanks to Liew.

In a Facebook post, Liew admitted that this year’s Johor DAP election would be quite unique as former leaders were involved in campaigning.

“Previous state leadership elections did not attract as much attention from the media and the public as it rarely involved fierce competition between candidates,” he said.

DAP and Umno both have 14 seats at the Johor state legislative assembly, followed by Bersatu (12 seats), PKR (seven), Amanah (six), MIC (two) and one from PAS. - FMT