GEORGE TOWN: Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and state DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow will both contest Parliamentary and state seats in the 14th general election (GE14).
Lim will defend his Bagan Parliamentary seat and Air Putih state seat; while Chow will defend his Padang Kota state seat; and has been nominated to contest the Tanjong Parliamentary seat which he held from 1999 to 2013.
The announcement was made by Chow at a press conference here this morning.
However, several names were missing from the state DAP’s GE14 candidates list: two state executive council members – Lim Hock Seng (Bagan Jermal) and Danny Law (Batu Lanchang); two state assemblymen – Lau Keng Ee (Pengkalan Kota) and A. Thanasekaran (Bagan Dalam); and two MPs – Jeff Ooi (Jelutong) and Ng Wei Aik (Tanjong).
Three others incumbents, meanwhile, had announced earlier that they would not be contesting.
They are former Tanjung Bungah assemblyman Teh Yee Cheu, who has since left the party; Pulau Tikus assemblyman Yap Soo Huey; and Berapit assemblyman Lydia Ong.
In the GE14, DAP will be contesting seven Parliamentary and 19 state seats.
Lim, who was also at the press conference, said that the decision to field Chow in both seats is part of a succession plan, as the latter had been announced as Lim’s eventual successor.
Lim is currently facing trial on corruption charges.
“I have announced before that Chow will succeed me, so this is part of a succession plan.
“Also, he was the previous Tanjong MP,” he added.
Chow, meanwhile, said that he has never left the Tanjong Parliamentary seat.
Prior to the press conference, Lim addressed the gathered crowd and thanked all incumbent elected representatives, who were not fielded, for their services to the party.