In Perak, five DAP incumbents will not be defending their seats in GE15

IPOH, October 28 — Two-term parliamentarian Thomas Su Keong Siong will not be standing as the DAP candidate for Kampar in the 15th general election (GE15).

DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke said outgoing Keranji assemblyman Chong Zhemin will contest the Kampar seat instead during the unveiling of Perak DAP’s candidates for GE15.

Last year, Su was also suspended by DAP for three months due to a ruckus that broke out during the party’s state convention in March.

Apart from Su, incumbents for Pasir Bedamar R. Terence Naidu and Pokok Assam Leow Thye Yih were also not named as candidates for any seats.

“For this election, we will contest all existing seven parliamentary seats plus one new parliamentary seat. While for state seats we will contest all existing 18 with one additional state seat.

“Out of the 19 state seat candidates, eight or 42 per cent are aged below 40. And we have five female candidates,” Loke said during the Perak DAP candidacy announcement programme at Kinta Riverfront Hotel here.

Loke announced that the new parliamentary seat that will be contested by DAP is Gerik, which be contested by Ahmad Termizi Mohd Jam, a new candidate.

Ipoh Timur incumbent Wong Kah Woh will be contesting the Taiping seat, while Pasir Pinji assemblyman Howard Lee will be running for the Ipoh Timur seat.

Others who will be defending their parliamentary seats are Perak DAP chairman Nga Kor Ming (Teluk Intan), Perak DAP adviser, Ngeh Koo Ham (Beruas), Perak DAP vice chairman M. Kulasegaran (Ipoh Barat), and V. Sivakumar (Batu Gajah).

For the new state seat, Loke said DAP will be contesting the Changkat Jong seat and the party will be fielding new face Badrul Hisham Badarudin.

Other new candidates for the state seats are M. Thulsi Thivani (Buntong), V. Bavani @ Shasha (Malim Nawar), Ong Seng Guan (Pokok Assam), Goh See Hua (Pasir Pinji), Jason Ng Thien Yeong (Astaka), Koo Haai Yen (Keranji), Woo Kah Leong (Pasir Bedamar) and Tiw Tee Siang (Tronoh) who at 29 is the youngest DAP candidate in Perak.

Meanwhile, Loh Sze Yee (Jalong), Jenny Choy Tsi Jen (Canning), Abdul Aziz Bari (Tebing Tinggi), Ong Boon Piow (Bercham), Cheah Pou Hian (Jelapang), Wong May Ing (Pantai Remis), A. Sivanesan (Sungkai) and Steven Chaw Kam Foon (Menglembu) will be defending their seats.

Incumbents for Buntong A. Sivasubramaniam, Tronoh Paul Yong Choo Kiong and Malim Nawar Leong Cheok Keng had all defected from the party.

Sivasubramaniam joined Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) after defecting to a few parties while Leong and Yong have joined Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM).

However, in July, the Ipoh High Court sentenced Yong to 13 years’ jail and two strokes of the cane after finding him guilty of raping his former Indonesian domestic helper three years ago.

Yong will not be able to contest in the upcoming election pending his appeal.

Earlier, Perak DAP chairperson Nga Kor Ming, in his speech, said that incumbents for Kepayang Dr Ko Chung Sen and Astaka Teoh Yee Chern had decided not to run in the election.

“Dr Ko, who is a heart surgeon, wanted to focus on his medical profession. He has a 100 per cent success rate with his heart surgery, while Teoh, who is a practising lawyer, wanted to focus on his law career.

“We respect their decision and thank them for their contribution. They have promised to campaign all out despite not contesting,” he said.