Penang DAP results shows members accepted peace deal, says analyst

However, the drop in support for Lim Hui Ying is viewed as a reflection of her lacklustre performance as a deputy minister.

(FMT) – The outcome of the Penang DAP elections, in which Steven Sim became the new state chairman despite finishing second in the vote tally, showed that members had accepted a “peace deal” put forward by the party secretary-general, according to a political analyst.

James Chin, a professor of Asian Studies at the University of Tasmania, said today’s results, with Sim’s appointment and that of Lim Hui Ying as state party secretary, would snuff out any potential discord among members.

“This is the best outcome we can get to stop the internal row within Penang DAP until the next general election. If this deal did not go through, it would have caused a very unstable Penang government until the next state election,” Chin added.

He said the peace deal was brokered by the faction of DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng and agreed by the faction supporting Chow Kon Yeow, the outgoing state party chairman and chief minister. Chow had opted out of the party polls, a decision which Chin had previously told FMT was made to dodge a potentially humiliating defeat.

Prior to the election, DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook had expressed support for Sim and Hui Ying and suggested that either one of them succeed Chow as chief minister upon completion of his second and final term.

Chin said Loke’s formula was meant to suggest that Sim, representing Guan Eng’s faction, would lead the state party while Chow would be allowed to complete his term as chief minister.

At the party elections today, Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh secured the top spot with 1,247 votes while Sim finished second with 1,237 votes. Former executive councillor Yeoh Soon Hin came third with 1,225 votes.

Hui Ying, who is Guan Eng’s sister, was touted as a strong contender but secured only 827 votes, dropping to 12th place from fourth in 2021. Chin said he “would not take it too seriously” as the composition of the state committee appeared balanced among both factions.

 

No to Hui Ying as next CM

Wong Chin Huat, a former fellow of the Penang Institute, said that Hui Ying’s lower vote count showed that the grassroots were unhappy with her lacklustre performance in the federal government.

“Sim and Hui Ying were both aspirants for the chief minister post and Loke suggested the deal to avoid competition between the two. Yet party grassroots appear to not see both of them as equal weight,” Wong said.

Although Hui Ying’s father, party stalwart Lim Kit Siang, was widely respected, the conflict between Guan Eng and Chow had irked the party grassroots.

Hui Ying also did not excel as deputy education minister and was underperforming as the deputy finance minister, Wong said. “Hence, not many grassroots want Hui Ying as the next chief minister.”

Universiti Sains Malaysia analyst Azeem Fazwan Ahmad Farouk said the results reflected the grassroots’ sentiment towards their leaders and that Ramkarpal was a “wildcard candidate” due to his strong performance. “It showed that the delegates are quite independent in their decision-making.”