By K. KASTURI DEWI and ONG YEE TING

north@thestar.com.my

PENANG: DAP should not be complacent over its success in the recent general election as Malaysians could easily vote the party out if it fails to deliver, party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said.

He said that in 1990, the party won a record number of state seats but within a single term, it also suffered one of its worst defeats after being “punished” by voters.

Lim, who is Penang Chief Minister, said DAP must deliver its promises to the people.

He also said the party must double its membership by another 100,000 before the next general election.

Happy anniversary: Guan Eng, Kit Siang and Chen flanking Karpal Singh as they and other DAP leaders cut the 42nd anniversary cake in Penang on Sunday.

“This is challenging but not impossible. After all, was it not considered impossible DAP to win power in Penang together with PKR?” he said, adding that DAP must be equally dynamic to be able to make Penang vibrant again.

Speaking at DAP’s national leadership convention in conjunction with the party’s 42nd anniversary celebrations, Lim said the party would use all necessary means to ensure that local government elections be held in all states in which DAP played a role in the government.

DAP national chairman Karpal Singh said in his opening speech that it would not be easy for the party to run the state government.

“What lies ahead for the party is very daunting but we have the digits, the intellectuals and the people,” he said.

Describing the party’s victory in the election as a “five-year lease” for DAP, Karpal Singh said he believed the party would be able to extend the lease and even make it “freehold.”

“We had a clean sweep of 19 seats in Penang and 18 seats in Perak and I am looking forward for the party to break into more Barisan Nasional strongholds in future,” he said.

Also present were the party’s life adviser Dr Chen Man Hin and adviser Lim Kit Siang.