DAP polls: Ngeh-Nga out of favour?
A ‘menu’ that urges DAP delegates to vote against Ngeh-Ngah cousins has appeared, while 17 candidates have pulled out of the race at the last minute.
Leven Woon, FMT
DAP’s central executive committee (CEC) re-election today started with the circulation of a ‘candidates list’ that urged the delegates to vote against Ngeh-Ngah cousins, and withdrawal of 17 candidates from the race.
Although Perak DAP leaders Ngeh Koo Ham and Nga Kor Ming formed an influential power bloc in the state, their names were however excluded from the favourable candidates list by the so-called mainstream fraction in the party.
The 20-men name list, or “menu” in local political term, contained the names of most of the candidates elected in the December elections but left out Ngeh, Ngah and Johor DAP chief Boo Cheng Hau.
Detractors have criticised Ngeh and Nga for running their own show in Perak, and said the duo’s insistence in fielding their own men in the 13th general election as among the reasons for Pakatan to fail in recapturing Perak.
In last December’s CEC election, Ngeh clinched the 19th slot with 824 votes while Nga came at number 12 with 1,075 votes. The results have been declared null and void by the Registrar of Societies, resulting in the party holding a re-election today.
DAP has 2,076 eligible delegates, of which 1,720 can cast the votes today, ad hoc returning officer Ong Kian Ming said.
Meanwhile, 17 of the 68 candidates withdrew from contesting, adhering the call of the central leadership to maintain the same 20 candidates who were elected in December.
