It was an exceptionally intense party election where incumbent chairman Lim Guan Eng’s faction was almost completely wiped out. Even Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying, his younger sister who holds an official position, was ousted. As a result, the newly elected central executive committee (CEC) is now entirely free from the control of the “Lim Dynasty,” marking the beginning of a new era for the Democratic Action Party (DAP). Guan Eng barely scraped through the election where he was the 26th. As most of his factions are no longer in CEC, he has no bargaining chip left for another term as chairman. It is only natural for deputy chairman Gobind Singh Deo to assume chairmanship. Guan Eng is left with only two choices: accept the advisory role offered by the CEC, which is now led by Loke Siew Fook and Nga Kor Ming while he remains outspoken or declines the advisory position by remaining in CEC without holding a key position in DAP. Guan Eng can only accept the advisory role, marking the most painful setback in his political career within the party. From the beginning, Guan Eng and his faction were on the defensive side. Despite receiving support from party veterans and some sympathetic delegates, he barely managed to retain his CEC seat with an extremely low number of votes. As a key member of Lim’s faction, Teresa Kok’s defeat was one of the most surprising outcomes. Her loss was likely linked to the investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) involving her former aide, which tainted her image. Despite the female quota favours female candidates, she still failed to secure a seat in the CEC. Meanwhile, the defeats of Lim Lip Eng, RSN Rayer, and other Guan Eng’s faction were expected, as they were seen as too closely aligned with him. However, the biggest shock was Khoo Poay Tiong who won the 8th place, despite being considered a member of Lim’s faction – but he made it into the CEC. Gobind Singh secured the highest number of votes for the second consecutive party election. In the Selangor state election, the former state chairman suffered an embarrassing defeat. Gobind’s victory was seen as a redemption. It proved that he is not just a regional leader but a national figure. Gobind Singh was unanimously elected as the new DAP chairman, a move that many saw as a natural succession to his father’s legacy. This leadership structure – a Sikh as chairman and a Chinese as secretary-general – also aligns with the multi-racial image that DAP aims to project. It is a development that many within and outside the party, including Umno, are hoping to see. With this election, DAP’s third-generation leadership has officially taken shape. The new CEC consists of a mix of young and middle-aged leaders, with a few veterans. Among the 30 CEC members, more than half are ministers, deputy ministers, deputy speakers, or state executive councillors. The biggest concern among delegates and the Chinese community is […]
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