All eyes on DAP national congress as new sec-gen is expected to be selected

KLANG: The atmosphere at the DAP national congress on Sunday (March 20) is as good as anyone’s guess.

Some say it will be a highly charged event as the party’s new secretary-general is going to be selected as incumbent Lim Guan Eng would be bowing out after helming the post for almost a decade.

There are others who say there won’t be any fireworks as the position’s top contenders Seremban MP Anthony Loke and Teluk Intan MP Nga Kor Ming have worked out a compromise between them.

“I believe both are working together to ensure who gets voted into the central executive committee (CEC) which will be selecting the new secretary-general,’’ said a party insider.

Unlike other parties where the leaders are elected by members directly, in the DAP, its delegates will vote in 30 CEC members who in turn will select the top leaders from among themselves.

“There is talk within the party circles that both men have agreed that Loke will become the secretary-general and Nga will take up another position,’’ said the source.

He added for everything to go according to their plan, both Loke and Nga would ensure that a minimum of 16 of "their people" are selected into the CEC so that they would have a majority in the show of hands when the winners are picked to helm positions.

Another party insider said DAP members, especially grassroots members, wanted a change as there was unhappiness over family dynasties monopolising the party leadership positions.

“The DAP has changed very much from its traditional facet with many ambitious young people coming in the last ten years.

“They want to be leaders too and prefer leaders to be selected based on their own merit and ability as opposed to scoring cookie points due to whom their fathers were or are,’’ said the party insider.

The party insider added that Loke and Nga were seen as the catalysts to kick start the DAP’s "new beginning" which will propagate a level playing ground for all members.

A party veteran said members understood how important the secretary-general’s position was in the DAP and because of this it was crucial to appoint someone who will unite and not divide them.

“In the DAP the secretary-general’s position is the most important post and is equivalent to the president’s post in other parties.

“So, if it is indeed true that Loke and Nga are working together, it is definitely to prevent any rift or factionalism from occurring,’’ he said.

According to the DAP constitution, the delegates will elect 30 CEC members and the newly elected members will appoint all the top leaders as well as 10 more CEC members.