It will be between Loke and Nga in party election

GEORGE TOWN: As the DAP gears up for party elections in March, Anthony Loke and Nga Kor Ming are said to be the frontrunners for the secretary-general post.

A party insider said either one could succeed Lim Guan Eng at the party’s national congress in Shah Alam on March 20.

Lim has held the post for three terms, the maximum under the party’s constitution.

Loke, 45, is the national organising secretary while Nga, 50, is the national deputy secretary-general.

Both have a good track record and are popular among party members, said the insider.

“Nga is outspoken and good with speeches. He has been commanding in his present role, be it at the parent body or Perak DAP chairman.

“Loke carried himself well when he was the Transport Minister following Pakatan Harapan’s victory in the 14th General Election (in May 2018).

“And he seems to be the favourite, as he has been given the exposure to take various leadership roles in the past. It is an open secret that he is being groomed to take over the party leadership one day,” added the insider.

Lim, who turned 61 last December, became secretary-general in 2004. Prior to that, he was deputy secretary-general, a position he assumed in 1995.

Loke noted that the party elections will be held at the same time as the DAP national congress, at the Ideal Convention Centre, in Shah Alam.

“The party’s CEC (central executive committee), which met on Jan 13, decided that the national congress would be held on March 20.“The postponement of the national congress had previously been allowed by the Registrar of Societies (ROS) due to various restrictions on interstate movement due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said in a statement.

Loke added that the party will strictly adhere to all Covid-19 SOP.

He said the new date was also fixed following advice from the ROS that the congress should be held before March 31.

He said delegates would also need to be physically present to be able to vote in the new CEC.

The DAP had last year requested the ROS allow it to defer the congress, that had been scheduled to be held on June 20, 2021, to after the movement control order was lifted and once interstate travel was allowed again.