A total of 70 candidates will compete in the highly anticipated Democratic Action Party (DAP) election on 16 March.
DAP organising secretary Steven Sim announced details of the party’s 18th national congress and the election for its Central Executive Committee (CEC) at a press conference today. According to the candidate list he released, most incumbent CEC members are seeking re-election. These include secretary-general Anthony Loke, chairperson Lim Guan Eng, deputy chairperson Gobind Singh Deo, vice-chairpersons Nga Kor Ming and Chow Kon Yeow, and Sim himself.
However, Tan Kok Wai, Fong Kui Lun, M Kulasegaran, and Jannie Lasimbang will not be contesting. The first three had previously declared their withdrawal from the CEC race.
Of the 70 candidates, 15 are women. Sim confirmed that no nominations were rejected, but nominees were given two weeks to withdraw voluntarily.
The party congress will be held at 10am on 16 March at the Ideal Convention Centre in Shah Alam. “This congress will have 4,203 eligible delegates from 1,650 branches,” Sim stated, adding that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and other Pakatan Harapan leaders will be attending.
CEC election process
The CEC election follows a two-tier process. Delegates first elect 30 members into the CEC, of whom at least nine must be women, as mandated by the party’s constitution. The newly elected CEC members then convene to internally vote for office-bearers, including the secretary-general, the highest post in DAP, equivalent to a president in other parties.
To secure a top position, candidates must ensure both themselves and their allies receive enough votes in the first round to remain competitive in the final selection.
Factional tensions and the ‘deity send-off’ movement
Originally intended to prepare for the next general election, the CEC polls have become a battleground for internal disputes. Malaysiakini reports that tensions within the party have led to a movement aiming to unseat Lim Guan Eng, drawing inspiration from his nickname, “tokong” (deity), and dubbing the effort the “deity send-off.”
This term references a pre-Chinese New Year ritual where families bid farewell to deities, particularly the Kitchen God, as they ascend to report on household affairs.
Guan Eng stepped down as DAP secretary-general in 2022 to become chairperson, but his leadership remains a point of contention. Unlike previous DAP elections, which projected unity, this contest is marked by deepening factionalism.
Roots of the dispute in Penang
Many believe the discord stems from the 2023 Penang state election, particularly the candidate selection process. At least two sources told Malaysiakini that Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow travelled to Kuala Lumpur to submit his proposed candidate list to DAP’s five-member selection committee. However, he was not invited to discuss the list and merely handed it over before returning to Penang.
Eventually, only 10 incumbent assemblypersons retained their original seats, one was relocated, and eight – including five incumbent exco members – were dropped. As many of those dropped were Guan Eng’s allies, it appeared that his influence overshadowed Chow’s.
Despite Loke’s assurances that Chow would remain chief minister, the party leadership proceeded with significant changes to DAP’s exco lineup in Penang’s government.
Further backlash over Guan Eng’s influence
A year later, ahead of the Penang DAP election, speculation arose that Guan Eng was positioning his sister, Hui Ying, as state chairperson to pave her way to becoming the next chief minister. This move triggered further opposition within the party. However, with Loke’s backing, Human Resources Minister Steven Sim was elected as state DAP chief, while Hui Ying remained state DAP secretary.
Critics argue that if Guan Eng’s influence is not curtailed in the upcoming CEC election, the party’s governance will become increasingly difficult. At least two neutral DAP leaders outside Penang told Malaysiakini that resolving this dispute requires addressing its root cause – Penang.
One leader pointed out that the failure to reconcile after last September’s Penang DAP election has now escalated tensions to the national level. “Everything stems from Penang and has now spread nationwide,” the source said.
Another suggested that while Guan Eng should remain in the CEC, he should step down as chairperson. However, the source noted that, given his personality, he is unlikely to yield to the anti-Lim faction in Penang.