Good job: (From left) Gobind, Loke, Nga and Sim celebrating together after the announcement of the polls results during the party’s 18th national congress at the Ideal Convention Centre in Shah Alam. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star
Guan Eng accepts results and calls for party unity
SHAH ALAM: The turn of events at the DAP central executive committee (CEC) polls, which saw Seputeh MP Teresa Kok failing to make it into the top team, caught many by surprise.
She was in the fourth position in the previous polls held in 2022.
Others who failed to make it were Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying and Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng.
Digital Minister and Damansara MP Gobind Singh Deo retained his top position with the highest number of votes, scoring 2,785.
Almost all winners received a higher number of votes in comparison to 2022 due to the high turnout yesterday, which reached 79.51 %, comprising 3,342 delegates who cast their votes.
Lim Guan Eng, the former Penang chief minister who was the party chairman before the party polls, tumbled from eighth position in 2022 to 26th position this time around.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke slipped from the third position to fifth place.
Selangor executive councillor and Sekinchan assemblyman Datuk Ng Suee Lim, who was No. 10 in 2022, rose to fourth position.
He overtook his counterpart Kinrara assembly Ng Sze Han who was one position above him in the previous polls.
Sze Han, who was in the ninth position in 2022, also rose two steps up to seventh position.
Also on an upward swing is Kulai MP and Deputy Communication Minister Teo Nie Ching, who rose to third position from her 19th placing previously.
Others who dropped in their positions were Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow who fell from number two to number 19, Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming, who slid from 12th to 13th position, Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh from fifth position to No. 15, and Human Resources Minister Steven Sim is No. 11 when he was seventh in 2022.
After a 30-minute deliberation, the 30 CEC members unanimously appointed the party’s top national leaders with Loke being retained as party secretary-general.
In the new line-up, Gobind is the party’s new chairman and Nga the deputy chairman. Guan Eng is the national party adviser.
The five vice-chairmen are Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen, Teo, Suee Lim, Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan and Nilai assemblyman Arul Kumar Jambunathan.
Sim, Yeoh and Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh will assume the deputy secretary-general posts.
Beruas MP Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham is the national treasurer with Sze Han as his deputy.
Gobind said he was thankful for the opportunity to serve as the party chairman, adding that he would do his best to strengthen unity in the party.
“I have made it clear to the rest of the CEC members that we must ensure greater unity in the party for the sake of its future.
“Now let us move forward, let us strengthen the party and let us make sure that we are able to build up DAP and take it to greater heights,” Gobind said.
When met by the press, Guan Eng said he accepted yesterday’s outcome.
“I respect the decision of the delegates. My future has been determined by my party members, not those outside (of the party).
“It is now time for us to unite under the new party leadership for the future.”
Guan Eng also said that “the moment belonged to Loke” when asked about his future role in DAP.
“This is not my moment. Any questions should be directed to Loke,” he said.
