by Leven Woon | December 16, 2012 Free Malaysia Today
Of the 10 members co-opted into the CEC this morning, seven of them are non-Chinese and East Malaysians.
GEORGE TOWN: The newly-minted DAP central leadership today appointed seven non-Chinese and East Malaysian leaders into the centre executive committee (CEC) in a bid to sharpen its multiracial appeal.
DAP first-term senator Ariffin M Omar was made a vice chairman to replace Tengku Abdul Aziz who quit the party in May.
Besides him, Zairil Khir Johari, Sabah party chairman Jimmy Wong, Sarawak member John Brian Anthony, Sabah member Edwin Bosi, former Perak speaker V Sivakumar were also the new faces in the CEC.
Both Tan Seng Giaw and P Ramasamy, who were bitterly voted out by party members yesterday, made their way back to the CEC through appointments.
DAP Central Executive Committee 2012-2015
Appointed:
Dr Tan Seng Giaw P Ramasamy Ariffin S.M. Omar Zairil Khir Johari Jimmy Wong Sze Phin John Brian Anthony Edwin Bosi Leong Ngah Ngah V Sivakumar Thomas Su Keong Siong
Office-bearers:
Chairman: Karpal Singh Deputy Chair: Tan Kok Wai Vice-Chair: Chow Kon Yeow, Ariffin Omar, Chong Chieng Jen, M Kula Segaran, Teresa Kok Sec-Gen: Lim Guan Eng Asst Sec-Gen: Chong Eng, Ngeh Koo Ham, P Ramasamy Treasurer: Fong Kui Lun Asst Treasurer: Nga Kor Ming National Organising Secretary: Loke Siew Fook Asst Nat Organising Sec: Vincent Wu Him Ven, Thomas Su Keong Siong National Publicity Secretary: Tony Pua Kiam Wee Asst Nat Publicity Sec: Teo Nie Ching, Zairil Khir Johari International Secretary: V Sivakumar National Political Education Director: Liew Chin Tong Asst Nat Pol Edu Dir: Dr Boo Cheng Hau Committee Members: Lim Kit Siang, Dr Tan Seng Giaw, Teng Chang Khim, Leong Ngah Ngah, Jimmy Wong Sze Phin, Edwin Bosi, John Brian Anthony, Gobind Singh
Dr Chen Man Hin reconfirmed as Party Life Advisor
Committees/Bureaus:
Disciplinary Comm: Headed by Tan Kok Wai Legal Bureau: Headed by Gobind Singh Deo Pakatan Rakyat Bureau: Headed by Teng Chang Khim Cultural Bureau: Headed by P Gunasekaran Labour Bureau: Headed by A. Sivanesan Election Bureau: Headed by Tan Kok Wai
Pakatan Rakyat bureau
Guan Eng, when announcing the new office bearers, said that the newly-setup Pakatan Rakyat bureau will play a role in cementing closer ties between coalition parties.
“To show that we are a real alternative for Malaysians, we must make sure the bureau is efficient,” he said.
The Penang chief minister also urged party members to get into fighting mode, saying they were only 100 days away from the fierce general election battle.
“If we want a better future, then we are only 100 days shy from making that historic decision.
“How many 10 years do we have, how many opportunity does a country have? We can’t wait anymore longer, we must change now,” he said to resounding applaud.
The party concluded its two-day congress with the party adopting nine resolutions proposed by the grassroots members, which included among others to support the anti-hopping legislation, to close down the controversial Lynas rare earth refinery plant, to make sure party leaders attend functions without local branches having to bear much of the costs and to do away with racism and religious bigotry.
Father and son team sweep DAP polls
Leven Woon | December 15, 2012
None of the Malay candidates who contested made it to the central executive committee.
GEORGE TOWN: The father and son team of Lim Kit Siang and Lim Guan Eng topped the DAP central executive committee (CEC) elections at the DAP 16th Congress held here today.
The elder Lim, who is also party adviser topped the list followed by the Penang chief minister and party secretary general Lim Guan Eng. DAP chairman Karpal Singh came in third.
A total 1,823 delegates voted in the elections to pick 20 CEC members. These members would among themselves decide who would hold the party’s top positions tomorrow.
The elder Lim obtained 1,607 votes, followed by (Lim) Guan Eng who garnered 1,576 votes while Karpal obtained 1,411 votes.
Some others delegates who formed 20-member line up include Chong Chieng Jen, Loke Siew Fook, Tan Kok Wai, Tony Pua, Fong Kui Lun, Nga Kor Ming, Chong Eng, Chow Kon Yew, M. Kulasegaran, Teresa Kok, Ngeh Koo Ham, Teng Chang Kim and Boo Cheng Hau.
It must also be noted that none of the Malay candidates who contested made it to the CEC.
The biggest casualties of the polls appear to be veteran DAP leader and Kepong member of parliament Tan Seng Giaw. Penang deputy chief minister and Batu Kawan member of parliament P Ramasamy also failed to make the cut.
Apart from Karpal and his son Gobind Singh Deo, Ipoh Barat member of parliament M Kulasegaran were the only Indian representatives in the 20-member CEC.
The new CEC members will meet tomorrow to elect among themselves the office bearers, as well as to appoint 10 other members to sit in the committee.
Those elected are:
1. Lim Kit Siang (1,607 votes) 2. Lim Guan Eng (1,576) 3. Karpal Singh (1,411) 4. Chong Chieng Jen (1,211) 5. Loke Siew Fook (1,202) 6. Vincent Vu (1,202) [new] 7. Tan Kok Wai (1,199) 8. Gobind Singh Deo (1,197) 9. Tony Pua (1,162) 10. Teng Chang Khim (1,152) 11. Fong Kui Lun (1,137) 12. Nga Kor Ming (1,075) 13. Chong Eng (1,006) 14. Chow Kon Yeow (986) 15. Liew Chin Tong (984) [new] 16. M Kulasegaran (984) 17. Boo Cheng Hau (958) 18. Teresa Kok (925) 19. Teo Nie Ching (903) [new] 20. Ngeh Koo Ham (824)
Five candidates dropped out of the DAP central executive committee contest earlier today. They are Choong Siew Onn, Er Teck Hwa, Jaya Balan Valliappan, Teo Kok Seong and Violet Yong Wui Wui.
Except for Teo, the newly minted DAP Socialist Youth chief, who said he wanted to focus on developing the party for quitting, the reason for other withdrawals are not yet known.
Meanwhile, Karpal said he was surprised that Seng Giaw and Ramasamy have been dropped, but he stressed it was the party delegates’ decision.
“The delegates have spoken, and there is no return in the next three years. We will see what happened,” he said.
Kulasegaran said he was “speechless” upon hearing that Ramasamy was not voted into the CEC.
“I was so sure that he would do better than me because he got a track record in the Indian community.
“But you have to understand that he is quite new to politics. But he didn’t go very far behind, surely he can be co-opted tomorrow,” he said.
Loke said the intense competition was the main reason why certain veteran or prominent leaders did not make it to the CEC.
“But we stressed that although they did not make it, we deeply value their contributions.
“So when the new CEC members [meet tomorrow], we would certainly consider appointing them [to fill the 10 seats],” he said.