KULAI, Feb 19 — The DAP leadership stopped short of naming its Johor chief Liew Chin Tong as the party’s top aspirant for the upcoming state election.

It was highly expected today that DAP’s leadership will name Liew to headline the party’s campaign for the Johor state elections scheduled for next month.

However, DAP named current incumbents Ng Yak Howe and Yeo Tung Siong to defend their respective state seats of Bentayan and Pekan Nenas instead.

It is understood that the party’s top leadership is still in talks with Liew over his candidacy in the Johor polls.

At a press conference this evening, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng deflected several questions regarding Liew’s candidacy, saying that it will not be announced today.

"On Liew’s candidacy, we will determine a suitable date for the announcement.

"We are part of the party and it is a normal process to support the party’s leadership decision.

"What is important is to uphold the Johor people’s aspiration,” said Lim when asked about the anticipated announcement during the press conference held at the Johor DAP headquarters in Taman Tropika in Kulai today.

Also present were other DAP leaders and also the party’s veteran leader Lim Kit Siang.

This comes after several recent news reports had claimed that Liew will contest in the state polls on March 12.

According to the reports, in both the English and Chinese media, the 45-year-old DAP party strategist was said to be either contesting in the Senai or Perling state seats.

To a question on which seat will the party place Liew to contest in the event he is a party candidate, Lim declined to confirm the constituency.

"As I had said earlier, we will make the announcement when the time is right. Today is not the time,” said the Bagan MP.

Meanwhile, Johor Pakatan Harapan (PH) sources told Malay Mail that both Perling and Senai were potential safe seats for Liew to contest in.

"Both the urban seats are highly coveted for any PH party as they have a large Chinese demographic and is considered among the top five seats for the Opposition to contest comfortably in.

"The data model was based on the previous Pakatan Rakyat (PR) Johor campaign period in 2013. For the recent 14th general election (GE14) in 2018, the DAP candidates won comfortably in Perling with a majority of 19,533 and for Senai it was 18,902,” said the sources.

Earlier, Lim had announced M. Kanan as the Bekok seat candidate who will represent the party for the upcoming Johor state election.

The businessman and former Iskandar Puteri City Council councillor’s candidacy was announced at a hall in Bekok that was broadcasted live on Facebook.

Last night, DAP announced that the party will retain incumbents Andrew Chen Kah Eng and Liow Cai Tung to defend their respective state assembly seats in Stulang and Johor Jaya.

About two weeks ago, the DAP state leadership revealed that the party’s incumbent Tangkak assemblyman Ee Chin Li together with Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali (Paloh), Chew Chong Sin (Mengkibol) and Gan Peck Cheng (Penggaram) would be defending their respective seats next month.

The Election Commission (EC) has set March 12 as polling day, with nomination day on February 26, while early voting is on March 8.