GEORGE TOWN: The Penang state elections may be some time away, and Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow (pic) looks set to stay for another term – but already, the state is abuzz with talk about the “chief-minister-in-waiting”.
All eyes will be on who will take over after Chow completes his second – and final – term. Penang is the only state whose constitution explicitly restricts the chief minister to just two terms.
The hint over the replacement could come from where candidates are fielded in the state elections.
Political observers expect Chow to say goodbye to Parliament (he was Tanjong MP before dissolution) and focus entirely on being the chief minister.
The Chinese press have reported that Penang DAP secretary Lim Hui Ying, 59, may be fielded in the Air Putih state seat, which was previously held by her older brother Guan Eng, the DAP chairman.
This would free Guan Eng to focus on his Bagan parliamentary seat.
Hui Ying’s name is being bandied about as the first woman chief executive of a state.
However, the much younger Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim Chee Keong, who is 40, is also looking to be a strong candidate.
Observers are waiting to see him taken off DAP’s list of parliamentary candidates, which would be an indication of his elevation in the state.
He is regarded as a strong supporter of Guan Eng and could be groomed to be a potential chief minister beyond 2028.
“DAP has an unwritten rule that except for state party chairman and secretary-general, all other members will only contest in either a state or parliamentary seat. However, there are exceptions,” said a party insider.
“If we don’t see Sim contesting in Bukit Mertajam, then we can expect him to be sent to the state assembly later.”
Should this happen, Sim, the party national organising secretary, could aim for the Berapit seat on mainland Penang.
During Pakatan Harapan’s 22-month stint in the Federal Government, he was deputy youth and sports minister.
The computer science graduate of Universiti Malaya, who worked for three years in a multinational corporation before becoming a full-time politician, is popular in his parliamentary constituency where he is known for his outreach work since 2013.
Another party insider felt it would be a waste if Sim is taken away from Parliament.
“He has good Putrajaya experience. A move to the Penang state government will turn him into a ‘newcomer’ who will have to start from scratch,” the insider said.
It is also expected that Penang DAP deputy chairman Dr P Ramasamy, 73, will leave the state government and go for a parliamentary seat, fuelling anticipation that the state elections will become a launchpad for new faces.
A Perakian, Ramasamy has been one-term Batu Kawan MP and three-term Prai state assemblyman since 2008 and serves as Deputy Chief Minister II.
His move out would be part of “big changes” expected in the state DAP line-up, a source said.
However, nothing has been decided.
“We are still discussing,” the source added.
