Maverick DAP Tanjung Bungah assemblyperson Teh Yee Cheu who incurred the wrath of his party by voting to support an Umno motion on reclamation at the recent state assembly, failed finish among the top 15 for the Penang DAP state committee.

Rumours that he was backed by pro-BN forces to destabilise the DAP and Penang government may have cost him dear at the election today.

Teh is a passionate environmentalist at heart but his boldness in proposing a two term limit for the chief minister’s post at the state assembly also appears to have cost him a seat in the DAP state committee.

Incumbent state DAP chief Chow Kon Yeow once again won the most votes in the Penang DAP polls, confirming that his influence remains strong and unchallenged in the state.

He is most likely to be again selected as state DAP chief.

State exco on housing and Dato Keramat assemblyman Jagdeep Singh Deo won the second spot, proving that sentiment for the late Karpal Singh continues to remain strong among members.

They were followed by Bukit Bendera MP Zairil Khir Johari, the first Malay candidate to clinch third spot in the party's polls. With 766 (70 percent turnout) delegates voting for him, DAP can say that it is not a party of Chinese chauvinists, as claimed by some.

The rest of the top 15 are:

4. Lim Hui Ying

5. Law Heng Kiang (Danny)

6. P. Ramasamy

7. Goh Choon Keong

8. Lim Siew Khim

9. Wong Hon Wai

10. Ng Wei Aik

11. Soon Lip Chee

12. Lay Hock Peng

13. Tanasekharan Autherapady

14. Phee Boon Poh

15. Sim Chee Keong (Steven)

There were 48 candidates vying for places in the state committee. Five more will be co-opted to make a 20 member committee.

(See the number of votes garnered below)

Meanwhile, at 7pm, state convention speaker V Sivakumar announced the new committee, which comprises of:

  • Chairman - Chow Kon Yeow
  • Deputy chairman - Jagdeep Singh Deo
  • Vice chairmen - P Ramasamy and Zairil Khir Johari
  • Secretary - Lim Hui Ying
  • Assistant secretary - A Tanasekharan
  • Treasurer - Danny Law Heng Kiang
  • Deputy treasurer - Jeffrey Chew (co-opted)
  • Organising secretary - Wong Hon Wai
  • Assistant organising secretaries - Lay Hock Peng and Goh Choon Keong
  • Publicity secretary - Ng Wei Aik
  • Assistant publicity secretary - Syerleena Abdul Rashid (co-opted)
  • Political education director - Steven Sim
  • Committee members - Lim Siew Khim, Soon Lip Chee, Phee Boon Poh, RSN Rayer (co-opted), Gooi Seong Kin (co-opted) and Lim Hock Seng (co-opted).

Chow expressed hope that the new committee can bring the DAP into the next general elections, which will be called , by the latest, 2018.

Secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said he was happy with the democratic process within the party, adding that the delegates decision must be respected and accepted.

“Those who lose, please try again, don’t give up hope as it is normal in any elections to have winners and losers,” Guan Eng said.

“I am confident those in DAP are in the party not to win posts but to contribute, what is important is that we remain always loyal to DAP, and will unite to fight BN.”

A total 760 votes were cast, while there were 47 spoilt votes.

At a quick glance it appears those aligned to the secretary-general did well in this year’s polls.

They are Guan Eng's sister Hui Ying, Law, Steven, Zairil and Wong, who is Guan Eng's political secretary.

Others aligned to Guan Eng like Jeffrey, Syerleena, Rayer, Gooi and Hock Seng were co-opted into the committee.

Phee, who is a strong force within the state DAP, appears to have lost his influence as most of his men in the team did not make it to the committee.

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