KUALA LUMPUR: DAP assistant publicity secretary Hannah Yeoh has come to the defence of the party's move to field state leaders to run for parliamentary and state seats in the 15th general election.
She said state leaders, especially menteri besar and chief ministers, should be allowed to contest both seats in order for them to raise issues in both the Dewan Rakyat and state legislative assemblies to boost coordination between the two levels of the governments.
"When it comes to management of water supply or floods, there are joint lists (of federal and state governments)," she told Free Malaysia Today in a statement today.
Earlier, DAP central executive committee member Ronnie Liu called on top party leaders not to contest in both parliamentary and state seats.
Liu said even top leaders of political parties such as Umno, MCA, MIC and PKR did not contest in two seats.
DAP leaders who have held seats in the Parliament and states are party chairman Lim Guan Eng (Bagan and Air Puteh), secretary-general Loke Siew Fook (Seremban and Chennah), and vice chairmen Chong Chieng Jen (Stampin and Padungan); Chow Kon Yeow (Komtar and Padang Kota); and Nga Kor Ming (Teluk Intan and Aulong).
Yeoh said the party had always tried to avoid having its leaders as representatives in both legislatures, although there were "special" circumstances which had to be taken into account, adding that it should be "an exception and not a general rule".
She said there was an increasing number of people in Selangor, including experienced administrators at the local government or federal levels, who were eager to contest.
However, the number of parliamentary seats available to DAP in Selangor were restricted to only four.
She said this was one of the matters the party leadership weighed before selecting candidates.
"I would want my secretary-general (Anthony) Loke Siew Fook to have a place at the state assembly and also in Parliament. He is also the Negeri Sembilan DAP chairman so that's why special rules are made for circumstances like these where you are needed in both."