Selangor DAP reformists set to make mark
By K.BaradanIt is time to take the Justice and Reform Group, a faction in Selangor DAP, seriously, because this group won all the posts at the Klang DAPSY or DAP Youth election recently, its fifth straight win against the DAP establishment in the state.
They are riding on a wave to victory and their mission is to capture the state DAP in elections on November 28.
While the man himself has not said anything, reform group members are saying Selangor Speaker and DAP icon Teng Chang Khim (picture) is their leader.
If this is true, then the DAP establishment in Selangor will have a hard time keeping their seats because Teng, his supporters said, is already campaigning hard to win “hearts and minds” on a reform agenda, meeting grassroots members at small dinners and get-togethers.
Teng is strongly supported by veteran DAP grassroots leaders like T. Kannan, James Ooi and Tee Boon Hock, who although sacked from the party for the “support letters” scandal is nevertheless the glue that is holding the rebellion together.
Tee was Selangor organising secretary and the leading man behind Ronnie Liu, the DAP Selangor exco man, when he was sacked after a massive fallout with Liu.
Now Tee, the former Klang DAP division chairman, is working for Teng, DAP sources said. “Our aim is to put Teng as Selangor DAP chairman and conduct a thorough house cleaning and reformation. The DAP needs a workover,” a DAP veteran said on condition of anonymity.
Teng has never seen eye-to-eye with party secretary general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng. But he is said to be easy going with Lim’s father, party adviser Lim Kit Siang.
Despite falling out with Guan Eng, Teng has managed to win in party elections and is seen as a desired “icon of dissent” by the party grassroots.
Last month, the reform group defeated another group aligned with Liu in the Klang DAP divisional election, capturing all the division posts.
The reform group also swept the Petaling Jaya Utara, Kuala Langat and Puchong division elections in a row.
Their target is capturing the Selangor DAP elections on November 28 where 15 state committee posts are open for grabs.
Under the DAP’s system, the 15 then elect or select all the office bearers among themselves.
Any leader who controls eight of the 15 posts can sweep all the posts like chairman, secretary and so on.
Last month too, Kampung Tunku state assemblyman Lau Weng San, an ally of Guan Eng, lost to veteran James Ooi for the PJ Utara chairman’s post.
Ooi’s group also swept all the positions except for the vice-chairman’s post.
In Kuala Langat, Teluk Datuk state assemblyman Philip Tan only managed 22 votes while his opponent Low Chai Eng, allied with the reform group, received 51 votes for the division chief’s post.
Previously, few members take notice of DAPSY elections but after March 8, 2008, any election in the DAP is taken seriously and keenly contested.
This is because the DAP had shifted from an opposition to a ruling party and welcome droves of new members including former MCA, Gerakan and MIC members who were eager to get a slice of the new power in society.
The battle is also for control of the sinecures of victory which included directorships in GLCs, awards, senatorships, ketua kampung positions, town and municipal councillors and, most importantly, and to be selected as candidates for the upcoming general election.
Where before the DAP had none of this sinecures to offer, now it has and in addition some of its leaders have the power to recommend licences for pubs, entertainment outlets and even massage parlours.
“It’s all a whole new ball game with the new DAP,” a Selangor DAP veteran said. “That’s why we need reforms and a tightening of the rules or we will become like Barisan Nasional.”
Opposing Teng and the reform group is possibly Selangor senior exco Teresa Kok, who has shifted her membership from Kuala Lumpur to Selangor.
“She is leading the charge for Guan Eng in Selangor,” a DAP source said. Kok, however, refused to be drawn into the issue when met recently. “We are all involved in a democratic contest,” she said, refusing to confirm or deny rival factions are contesting for positions in Selangor DAP, as is the case in Perak.
Liu is considered tainted to lead the charge while incumbent chairman Ean Yong Hian Wah is inexperienced while others like Charles Santiago and Tony Pua might be better known but lack grassroots support.
The situation leaves the experienced and well regarded Kok to lead the establishment charge and take on Teng and the Justice and Reform Group.
While the possibility of a “unity team” — a mix of both camps to avoid a bloodletting — is possible, some veterans in the reform group, who probably control just over 50 per cent of the 1,000 over delegates to the election, are adamant and want a free-for-all, open and democratic contest to let the delegates decide who should run Selangor DAP.
They are riding on a wave to victory and their mission is to capture the state DAP in elections on November 28.
While the man himself has not said anything, reform group members are saying Selangor Speaker and DAP icon Teng Chang Khim (picture) is their leader.
If this is true, then the DAP establishment in Selangor will have a hard time keeping their seats because Teng, his supporters said, is already campaigning hard to win “hearts and minds” on a reform agenda, meeting grassroots members at small dinners and get-togethers.
Teng is strongly supported by veteran DAP grassroots leaders like T. Kannan, James Ooi and Tee Boon Hock, who although sacked from the party for the “support letters” scandal is nevertheless the glue that is holding the rebellion together.
Tee was Selangor organising secretary and the leading man behind Ronnie Liu, the DAP Selangor exco man, when he was sacked after a massive fallout with Liu.
Now Tee, the former Klang DAP division chairman, is working for Teng, DAP sources said. “Our aim is to put Teng as Selangor DAP chairman and conduct a thorough house cleaning and reformation. The DAP needs a workover,” a DAP veteran said on condition of anonymity.
Teng has never seen eye-to-eye with party secretary general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng. But he is said to be easy going with Lim’s father, party adviser Lim Kit Siang.
Despite falling out with Guan Eng, Teng has managed to win in party elections and is seen as a desired “icon of dissent” by the party grassroots.
Last month, the reform group defeated another group aligned with Liu in the Klang DAP divisional election, capturing all the division posts.
The reform group also swept the Petaling Jaya Utara, Kuala Langat and Puchong division elections in a row.
Their target is capturing the Selangor DAP elections on November 28 where 15 state committee posts are open for grabs.
Under the DAP’s system, the 15 then elect or select all the office bearers among themselves.
Any leader who controls eight of the 15 posts can sweep all the posts like chairman, secretary and so on.
Last month too, Kampung Tunku state assemblyman Lau Weng San, an ally of Guan Eng, lost to veteran James Ooi for the PJ Utara chairman’s post.
Ooi’s group also swept all the positions except for the vice-chairman’s post.
In Kuala Langat, Teluk Datuk state assemblyman Philip Tan only managed 22 votes while his opponent Low Chai Eng, allied with the reform group, received 51 votes for the division chief’s post.
Previously, few members take notice of DAPSY elections but after March 8, 2008, any election in the DAP is taken seriously and keenly contested.
This is because the DAP had shifted from an opposition to a ruling party and welcome droves of new members including former MCA, Gerakan and MIC members who were eager to get a slice of the new power in society.
The battle is also for control of the sinecures of victory which included directorships in GLCs, awards, senatorships, ketua kampung positions, town and municipal councillors and, most importantly, and to be selected as candidates for the upcoming general election.
Where before the DAP had none of this sinecures to offer, now it has and in addition some of its leaders have the power to recommend licences for pubs, entertainment outlets and even massage parlours.
“It’s all a whole new ball game with the new DAP,” a Selangor DAP veteran said. “That’s why we need reforms and a tightening of the rules or we will become like Barisan Nasional.”
Opposing Teng and the reform group is possibly Selangor senior exco Teresa Kok, who has shifted her membership from Kuala Lumpur to Selangor.
“She is leading the charge for Guan Eng in Selangor,” a DAP source said. Kok, however, refused to be drawn into the issue when met recently. “We are all involved in a democratic contest,” she said, refusing to confirm or deny rival factions are contesting for positions in Selangor DAP, as is the case in Perak.
Liu is considered tainted to lead the charge while incumbent chairman Ean Yong Hian Wah is inexperienced while others like Charles Santiago and Tony Pua might be better known but lack grassroots support.
The situation leaves the experienced and well regarded Kok to lead the establishment charge and take on Teng and the Justice and Reform Group.
While the possibility of a “unity team” — a mix of both camps to avoid a bloodletting — is possible, some veterans in the reform group, who probably control just over 50 per cent of the 1,000 over delegates to the election, are adamant and want a free-for-all, open and democratic contest to let the delegates decide who should run Selangor DAP.
