DAP veteran Dr Tan axed from GE14

PETALING JAYA: Eight-term DAP veteran Dr Tan Seng Giaw (pic) has been axed but the long-serving MP said he accepted the party’s decision.

“Politics demands changes. It is up to the party leadership,” said the incumbent Kepong MP when contacted.

Dr Tan was not present when the names of candidates were announced by DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng during a special briefing with Federal Territories party members at the Petaling Jaya Civic Hall yesterday.

Having served in Kepong since 1982, Dr Tan had voiced his intention to defend his seat amid speculation that he would be dropped.

Lim announced that two-term MP Lim Lip Eng will replace Dr Tan there this general election.

Lip Eng’s Segambut seat will be contested by Selangor State Assembly Speaker Hannah Yeoh.

The Subang Jaya assemblyman confirmed that she would not be defending her state seat.

Other DAP heavyweights – namely Teresa Kok, Tan Kok Wai and Fong Kui Lun – will be defending Seputeh, Cheras and Bukit Bintang respectively.

Kok is in her fourth term, Kok Wai has served for five terms while Fong is a three-term MP.

DAP will contest in five out of eight Opposition-held seats.

PKR will field its candidates in Lembah Pantai, Wangsa Maju and Batu.

The remaining seats – Titiwangsa, Setiawangsa, Putrajaya and Labuan – are held by Barisan Nasional.

Bandar Tun Razak, which was formerly under PKR, is now held by independent Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

The former Selangor mentri besar was sacked by PKR in 2014.