A DAP candidate can run for a parliamentary and state seat, says Chow

GEORGE TOWN: DAP has no policy that prevents a candidate from contesting both a Federal and a state seat, says Penang party chairman Chow Kon Yeow.

"It is up to (each) state (leadership) to decide. It can be raised during the state committee meetings.

"The committee can then make recommendations," he told a press conference at his office in Komtar on Wednesday (June 28).

In the past, DAP has fielded the same candidate in both parliamentary and state seats.

In Penang, Chow contested and won both the Tanjong Federal seat and the Padang Kota state seat in GE14 in 2018.

Others including former chief minister Lim Guan Eng have held both seats as well.

Chow, the caretaker Chief Minister for Penang, also said the party was currently interviewing its incumbents to seek their views on the coming state election.

He added that this was just a "refresher" as many of those involved were interviewed ahead of GE15 just a few months ago.

Asked if any incumbents would be stepping down, he said it was too soon to tell.

On the quota of 30% women candidates, Chow said while the party hoped to meet this, it had not been successful in previous elections.

"The policy is there and we do try to (comply).

"The issue is that there have not been enough candidates to choose from," he said.

The Penang state assembly has been dissolved to make way for the coming election.

Chow had an audience with Governor Tun Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak at Seri Mutiara on Tuesday (June 27) where he received the governor's consent to dissolve the legislative assembly.

Six states – Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, Penang, Selangor and Negri Sembilan – did not dissolve their state assemblies before GE15 on Nov 19.

Five of the states have already dissolved their respective assemblies as of Wednesday.

Negri Sembilan will dissolve its assembly on Saturday (July 1).