KUALA LUMPUR: DAP has dropped eight-term Kepong Member of Parliament Dr Tan Seng Giaw from the Kepong seat, in favour of Lim Lip Eng.
Subang Jaya assemblyman Hannah Yeoh, who is also Selangor legislative assembly Speaker, will contest Lim’s Segambut parliamentary seat.
These were among the highlights of DAP’s announcements on its 14th General Election (GE14) candidates list, at an event at the Petaling Jaya Civic Centre here tonight.
DAP veterans Tan Kok Wai, Fong Kui Lun and Teresa Kok, meanwhile, will contest their current seats in Cheras, Bukit Bintang and Seputeh, respectively.
The candidates list was announced by DAP secretary general Lim Guan Eng. Also present were DAP national chairman Tan Kok Wai and party adviser Lim Kit Siang.
Dr Tan being axed ends months of fevered speculation on whether he would be fielded as a DAP candidate.
He was earlier rumoured set to be replaced by Serdang MP Dr Ong Kian Ming or even Lim Lip Eng.
Dr Tan is believed to have incurred the wrath of the senior DAP leadership after he had spoken out on the deadly Tanjung Bungah landslide on October 21 last year, which claimed the lives of 11 construction workers.
His remarks, which came via a poem he penned, reportedly drawn the ire DAP secretary-general Lim, who had since kept mum on whether Dr Tan would be allowed to contest.
Dr Tan, 75, had in the 2013 general election, faced off with Datuk Chandrakumanan Arumugam (Barisan Nasional) and Yee Poh Ping (Independent) in a three cornered fight and emerged victorious with a majority of 40,307.
Last week, Dr Tan had told the press that he was keen on defending his seat but was leaving it to the party leadership to decide.
Dr Tan was not present at the announcement today. However, when contacted, he said he accepted the party’s decision.
“I'll accept the party’s decision. And I will continue serving Kepong and its people in whatever capacity,” he said, declining to comment when asked on whether he is looking to contest as an independent.
Earlier, Kok Wai addressed the 300-odd DAP members in the hall and said they were in for a tough fight in GE14.
He accused the Registrar of Societies of collaborating with the government to reject the Pakatan Harapan logo. He also claimed that it was this “collaboration” which led to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) being temporarily dissolved.
Meanwhile DAP deputy chairman Gobind Singh Deo said that the oppositon pact has almost wrapped up their distribution of seats.