KUALA LUMPUR: The DAP Central Executive Committee (CEC) election will be held at 10am on Sunday (March 16), with 70 candidates vying for 30 seats.
The election process at the Ideal Convention Centre (IDCC) Shah Alam, held in conjunction with the party’s 18th National Congress, will begin with an opening speech by DAP national chairman Lim Guan Eng, followed by a policy speech by DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook, before polling takes place.
DAP national organising secretary Steven Sim earlier said that 4,203 delegates representing 1,650 branches were eligible to cast their votes in the election.
Among the key contenders for the CEC seats are Loke, Guan Eng, Sim, Gobind Singh Deo, Ramkarpal Singh, Nga Kor Ming, Chow Kon Yeow, and Chong Chieng Jen.
The election will also see 15 female candidates contesting for the nine seats allocated to them, including Hannah Yeoh, Teresa Kok, Teo Nie Ching, Yeo Bee Yin, Young Syefura Othman, Lim Hui Ying, Vivian Wong, Wong Shu Qi and Alice Lau.
The elected CEC members will lead DAP for the 2025-2028 term and later determine the party’s top leadership, including the new secretary-general.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is also the Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman, is expected to attend the congress.
DAP has also invited several key PH leaders, including Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) president Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu and United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko) president Datuk Ewon Benedick.
As in previous years, an international audit firm will oversee and monitor the election as an independent third party to ensure a clean, fair, and transparent democratic process.
The DAP CEC is the party’s highest decision-making body, responsible for setting its direction, formulating policies, enforcing the party constitution, and taking necessary actions in accordance with it.
The CEC consists of 30 members democratically elected by branch delegates during the Party National Congress, who have the authority to co-opt 10 additional members. The CEC members will then elect the party’s office bearers, led by the secretary-general. - Bernama
