22 years after ignominy of defeat, is Kit Siang making his Penang comeback?

(NST) – Speculation is rife that DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang may be contesting in Penang again in the coming 14th general election.

This follows the circulation of a screen grab of what is alleged to be the Gelang Patah member of parliament’s voter details, showing that Kit Siang’s electoral address now falls under the Komtar state and Tanjung parliamentary seats.

However, the New Straits Times attempts to get Kit Siang’s response proved futile.

Messages sent via WhatsApp were not replied. There were, however, two “blue ticks” attached to the message, indicating that it had, in fact, been read.

For the record, candidates for parliamentary seats need not have an address in the same state, but anyone contesting a state seat must have a registered address in the same state.

When contacted, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) political analyst Dr P. Sivamurugan said there was a possibility that Kit Siang was planning a comeback in Penang to retain the state under the “new Tanjung project”.

“May be he feels that Gelang Patah will be a losing seat for him since there have been mounting allegations in recent months on his lack of presence there as well as his performance as the member of parliament,” he said.

According to Sivamurugan, another possibility is that Kit Siang wants to ensure the continuous survival of the “Lim Dynasty”, taking into account the impending corruption trial of his son, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

“It also brings to (mind) the possibility of whether he is trying to succeed his son (as chief minister) or to position himself in an advisory position (in the state) in case the son goes to prison,” he added, noting that Kit Siang may still want to hold on to power or serve as the “backbone” of his son as this could be the toughest test for Guan Eng thus far.

Kit Siang is no stranger to the political scene in Penang. He started his foray in 1986 when he wrested the Tanjung parliamentary seat from Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon in what was dubbed the “Tanjung One battle”.

He also won the Kampung Kolam state seat and helped DAP take nine other seats at the time.

In the Tanjung Two battle four years later, Kit Siang retained his parliamentary seat and DAP won 14 state seats, including Padang Kota where the then chief minister Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu was defeated. The party’s wins denied BN two-thirds majority in the state assembly.

During the Tanjung Three battle in 1995, Kit Siang was presented as the “Robocop” who would lead Penang to greater heights. However, DAP was dealt a severe blow when he lost to Koh, the then chief minister, and retreated from Penang. DAP only managed to win a single seat.

Some said the Robocop strategy caused his defeat while others said the people voted against Kit Siang to seek revenge for Chong Eu’s defeat.

The speculation that Kit Siang would be contesting in a Penang seat began as early as this year after he made an appearance in the state for five consecutive days.

He even kicked off his “Jelajah Desa Bersama Kit Siang” programme here, visiting numerous locations.

Political pundits are predicting that Kit Siang is preparing to take over from Guan Eng, who is currently awaiting trial for two corruption charges over the purchase of his controversial Jalan Pinhorn bungalow.

The trial has been delayed since March, pending Guan Eng’s challenge of Section 62 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 in the Court of Appeal.