DAP candidates to contest 2 seats if needed
(The Sun Daily) – Federal opposition party DAP will allow its candidates to concurrently contest two seats – state and parliamentary – if the situation calls for it.
DAP national vice-chairman Chow Kon Yeow said the party’s leadership had discussed the issue at length earlier this year and concluded that it would decide on the matter on a case-by-case basis.
He said factors such as political circumstances and environment will dictate whether party candidates can contest both parliamentary and state seats.
“If there is a proposal for a candidate to contest two seats, the party will look at it,” he said at a press conference today.
The issue arose earlier this year when DAP national chairman Karpal Singh proposed that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) candidates only contest one seat in the next general election.
The Bukit Gelugor MP had reportedly expressed his desire that the DAP lead by example by setting a one-seat policy before the polls.
Karpal, however, added that the chief minister and mentri besar, who are state assemblymen, should participate in Parliament for the benefit of their respective states.
He was also reported to have postulated that there might be “exceptional cases” such as in Sabah and Sarawak where the party might not have enough candidates.
On whether any DAP candidate is slated for contesting two seats, Chow said the decision has yet to be made.
He said the party has a pool of candidates but has not decided who will contest.
Chow, who is Tanjong MP and Padang Kota assemblyman, also side-stepped the question of whether he is going to defend both his seats, quipping that he has yet to be nominated.
The Penang DAP chairman also dismissed criticisms that the party practises “dynasty politics”.
He said the child of a politician who decides to enter politics should be judged as an individual in “his own right, capability and capacity”.
“Not every father encourages his son to join politics … especially in the Opposition. How many want their sons to follow in their footsteps? … Because it is not easy,” he said.
