The country's biggest Chinese-based political organisation, the MCA, would axe at least three incumbent elected representatives and field at least seven new faces, including three women, to contest in Penang in the next general election.

Barring any last minute change of mind influenced by intense lobbying, the newcomers would line up alongside seven other seasoned politicians to battle out the opposition in 10 state and four federal seats.

mca and penang and election 120208 Party insiders admit that the incumbents facing the chop would press hard their case to the party leadership to retain their positions.

However, such pressure may not yield much success as the party insiders revealed that the state MCA had virtually finalised its state electoral candidature, including the newcomers.

In the 2004 general election, MCA won nine out of 10 states and one out of four federal seats that it contested.

It lost a state seat in Sungai Puyu when MCA incumbent assemblyperson Loo Ah Dee @ Lee Ah Lee lost to DAP state treasurer Phee Boon Poh and lost in Bukit Gelugor, Bagan and Bukit Mertajam parliament seats to the DAP.

wong kam hoong This time around, among those expected to be dropped are Bayan Baru incumbent parliamentarian Wong Kam Hoong ( photo ), and state assembly persons Lye Siew Weng and Dr Loh Hock Hun.

Wong, a deputy federal minister and former state MCA leader, looks set to be the biggest casualty of this shake-up initiated by the party national deputy president Chan Kong Choy, who has doubled up his role as the Penang state chief as well.

Wong, who has held the seat since winning it in the 1995 election, is expected to make way to the state women leader Ooi Siew Kim.

Party sources say the state leadership had wielded the axe on Wong due to his alleged starring role in creating a major rift among local MCA leaders, which sparked a major state party crisis a few years ago.

As a result of the crisis, Wong was removed as state party chairperson and Chan took his place in a move to mend the rift.

Younger and energetic

Another three-term incumbent facing the axe is Lye Siew Weng of Air Putih state constituency.

mca penang parliament and state seats 2004 results 120208 Lye, who is the party Bukit Bendera division chief, faces a tough battle to safeguard his seat against his division secretary Tan Yoke Cheng.

Lye had left it to the party leadership to decide his fate although he would prefer to defend his seat.

"After all, my constituents want me to stay," he told Malaysiakini .

However, insiders said Tan, the state MCA councillor whip in the Penang Island Municipal Council, would get the nod over the incumbent as "he was younger and more energetic".

In another shake-up, Dr Loh Hock Hun would be serving his last term as the Paya Terubong assembly person.

It is learnt Loh's personal assistant Khaw Boon Leong has been lined up as a candidate for the seat, which has 23,490 registered voters according to the 2004 electoral roll - the highest among state seats in Penang.

Sources said Loh would be dropped due to his growing unpopularity among his constituents.

In Sungai Puyu, MCA is expected to field its Seberang Perai Municipality (MPSP) woman councillor Teh Lay Cheng to face incumbent DAP state treasurer Phee Boon Poh.

State executive councillor and Seri Delima state assemblyman Koay Kar Huah is expected to be "promoted" to contest the Bukit Gelugor parliamentary constituency where he had been speculated to face DAP secretary general Lim Guan Eng.

Sources said MCA national youth vice-chairman Loh Lam Hooi, grandson of late tycoon Loh Boon Siew, is the favourite to contest Koay's vacant Seri Delima seat.

Novice to take on Karpal

karpal singh 01 Bukit Gelugor incumbent MP, DAP national chairman Karpal Singh is being rumoured to contest in Bagan parliamentary constituency where he would likely face a MCA political novice in lawyer Sharon Song Choy Leng, who is also the Bagan MCA deputy women chief.

Although MCA has given two new women faces, Ooi and Teh a fighting chance in seemingly winnable seats, Sharon Song would be cursing her luck for being nominated in Bagan to face the might of DAP strength.

MCA's MPSP councillor whip, Ong Tang Chuen is being widely tipped to contest the Bukit Mertajam parliamentary constituency.

Ong, who is the party Bukit Mertajam division secretary, would certainly face incumbent DAP MP Chong Eng.

Apart from these changes, other incumbent state assembly persons, the Penang MCA deputy chief and state executive councillor Lau Chiek Tuan of Berapit, state youth leader Ooi Chuan Aik of Bagan Jermal, another woman in the line-up, Tan Cheng Liang of Jawi and Tan Teik Cheng of Padang Lallang, all in mainland; and Lee Hack Teik of Pengkalan Kota and Lim Gim Soon of Komtar, are all safe bets to contest again, for time being at least.

Visit undi.info for 2004 results and analysis .