GE15: DAP drops Wong Tack, Young Syefura to contest Bentong instead

Wong Tack (left) and Young Syefura Othman.

KUALA LUMPUR: Incumbent Bentong MP Wong Tack has been dropped by DAP from defending his seat in the coming 15th General Election (GE15)

"We offered him (Wong) Cameron Highlands but he did not agree and refused to accept," DAP secretary general-general Anthony Loke told reporters at a press conference on Wednesday (Oct 26).

He said the offer to Wong during a three-hour discussion on Sunday with the latter's refusal made the following day.

"It was his personal choice and we can't force him.

"We have to move on now as there are other matters which I have to address in such a limited time," he said.

Wong, who won the seat in the last general election in 2018, was absent at the press conference.

Loke said that Young Syefura Othman, also known as Rara, would defend the Bentong seat for Pakatan Harapan in the coming polls.

"She served as the assemblywoman for the Ketari state seat which is within the Bentong parliament constituency and has built a presence.

"We have done our survey and analysis on winnable seats and she is the most winnable candidate for Bentong," he added.

Wong Tack became a familiar face known for his opposition to Australian mining firm Lynas Corp’s rare-earths processing plant in Pahang which was used as a campaign platform during the 2018 general election.

MCA recently announced that former party president Tan Sri Liow Tiong Lai would contest in Bentong, a seat he previously won in 1999 and successfully defended till 2018.

Meanwhile, Loke also announced that Raub incumbent Tengku Zulpuri Shah Raja Puji would be standing for the Lipis parliamentary seat.

He acknowledged that Tengku Zulpuri would face a daunting task in the contest for the Lipis seat which is seen as an Umno stronghold.

"As he (Tengku Zulpuri) will be contesting in a very difficult seat, the party has made an exception that he will be allowed to also contest for a state seat in Pahang which will be announced next week," he added.

Loke also announced that Tanah Rata state assemblyman Chiong Yoke Kong would be contesting for the Cameron Highlands parliament seat.

The Cameron Highlands seat is considered a Barisan Nasional stronghold and was currently held by incumbent Datuk Ramli Mohd Nor from Umno, the nation's first orang asli to be elected as Member of Parliament in a by-election in 2019.

He said that Chow Yu Hui, the Tras state assemblyman, would be contesting for the Raub parliament seat.