DAP senior adviser Lim Kit Siang - who declared his candidacy for Gelang Patah on Monday - is not the only party stalwart to go south in an attempt to shatter the BN stronghold of Johor in the fast approaching 13th general election.

NONE Last night, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng announced that Bukit Bendera MP Liew Chin Tong will follow suit, vying for a constituency in the southern state.

Lim, who is Penang chief minister, declined to reveal the name of the seat, only hinting that the initial of the place is 'K'.

Parliamentary seats with the letter 'K' in Johor are Kulai, Kota Tinggi and Kluang, and Liew is expected to be fielded in the last.

When some people at the front shouted 'Kluang', Liew broke into a broad smile.

"He is my close ally. I am letting him go with a heavy heart. But in life, we must take the risks.

"I had also come to Penang in 2008 without being sure whether I would win," Lim told the 200-strong audience at the launch of the party's Bukit Bendera election centre along Bangkok Lane.

"At least we send someone from Penang to lead a historic vision in Johor," he added, to loud applause from the crowd.

Goodies galore pledge

"Tell your friends in Johor, don't make the mistake they made in 2008. Everywhere got Tsunami, only Johor got no Tsunami," Lim joked.

"Tell your friends in Johor, let us vote for change and you can see the positive reforms in Penang replicated in Johor," he stressed.

Lim urged the people to give Pakatan the vote in the coming polls - whether the candidates are from DAP, PKR or PAS, adding "do not let BN steal away our children's future".

But Lim declined to announce the candidate - highly speculated to be his political secretary Zairil Khir Johari to replace Liew in Bukit Bendera, saying "it would be revealed soon".

During the four-hour session which started at 8pm, the crowd was entertained to political speeches by DAP state chief Chow Kon Yeow, assembypersons Jason Ong Khan Lee (Kebun Bunga), Pulau Tikus (Koay Teng Hai), The Yee Cheu (Tanjung Tokong), DAP senator and veep Ariffin Omar, State PKR veep Abdul Malik Kassim and Bukit Bendera PAS commissioner Halim Salleh.

lim guan eng liew chin tong 210313 03 Meanwhile, Liew presented his 'farewell speech' by thanking everyone, including his constituents, supporters, especially DAP members and staff who had been generous with their help to him since 2008.

He added that the venue was the very same spot that his candidacy as Bukit Bendera MP had been made public in 2008, urging the people to throw their support behind the new candidate, no matter who he will be.

"I represent the people of Penang to contest in Johor. I am very happy to be able to become a part of history, and hope to assist the DAP to win the seats there," he said.

"We hope to win enough seats to capture Putrajaya, we not only want to win nationally but want to win Putrajaya for all Malaysians," he told the crowd who cheered him on.

All for Putrajaya win

At the press conference following the announcement, Liew was asked if he had informed his Bukit Bendera constituents and their sentiments about his sudden departure.

azlan "Everyone is focused on national issues, and want us to win Putrajaya," explained the Kuala Lumpur-born MP.

"Someone must take the lead, Kit Siang has done it, and someone has to follow. The people will understand," he said.

"I promise that I will be a Malaysian MP for all, I will continue to serve you as a Malaysian MP and I will never forget the tears and happiness we have shared," he added.

Liew is expected to meet MCA Kluang incumbent MP Hou Kok Chung, his former lecturer in New Era College. Hou is also higher education deputy minister.

Hou won the Kluang seat in 2008 with 27,970 votes, defeating DAP's Ng Lam Hua by a comfortable 3,781 majority.

Based on the Election Commission June 2011 gazetted register, Kluang is a mixed constituency with the 82,824 voters made up of 51.8 percent Chinese, 37.31 percent Malay and 9.55 percent Indians.

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