The Chinese New Year celebration in Penang was heavily peppered with the election fever as Barisan Nasional (BN) and opposition top guns appeared at various open houses.

The northen state is expected to witness major fireworks in the coming general election, which is speculated to be held next month.

With observers predicting a swing in Chinese and Indian votes, opposition parties DAP and PKR are mounting an united challenge.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, who is rumoured to contest in Penang, attended an open house organised by local Chinese community umbrella group Penang Chinese Town Hall.

koh tsu koon 100907 However, the most significant development was Penang Chief Minister and Gerakan president Dr Koh Tsu Khoon’s announcement that he intends to contest in a federal seat.

On the same note, Koh revealed that he had nominated three candidates to succeed him for the chief minister’s post.

Although he has refused to name the candidates, the grapevines have listed party secretary-general Chia Kwang Chye, vice-chairman Dr Teng Hock Nan and deputy secretary-general Lee Kah Choon as hopefuls.

According to party sources, the trio will contest in Penang state seats and one of them will be appointed as chief minister and the other two as exco members.

Will it backfire?

Apart from bolstering Gerakan’s strength, this arrangement will also ensure check and balance between the leaders.

chia kwang chye Of the three, Chia is seen as having the backing of Umno, which makes him the favourite for the chief minister post.

It is believed that he would contest in Koh’s state seat Tanjung Bungah while Koh will contest in Chia’s parliamentary seat Bukit Bendera.

Koh has been the Tanjung Bungah incumbent since the 1990 general election while Chia first won Bukit Bendera in the 1995 elections.

Political observers note that there is also a possibility of this strategy backfiring as it may allow DAP to win the Jelutong parliamentary seat, which is currently held by Lee.

Bukit Bendera and Jelutong were once DAP strongholds. In 1999, DAP supremos Lim Kit Siang and Karpal Singh lost to Chia and Lee respectively.

If Koh decides to contest in Bukit Bendera, the Jelutong seat will be on shaky ground as Gerakan will not be able to field a candidate with Lee’s weight.

According to sources, Dato Keramat state assemblyman Ong Thean Lye could be named as the Gerakan candidate for Jelutong.

Ong won the Dato Keramat seat, which falls under the Jelutong parliamentary constituency, in his election debut in 2004. He defeated DAP’s Koid Teng Guan.

Although Ong is said to be not keen in moving to a parliamentary seat, sources said that Koh had ordered the candidates to adhere to the party directive.

Guan Eng in Bukit Gelugor?

On the DAP front, it is believed that the opposition party will field one of its election strategists Liew Chin Tong and prominent blogger Jeff Ooi for the Bukit Bendera and Jelutong seats.

However, observers do not believe the duo will be able to make any significant impact as both of them, who are based in Kuala Lumpur, lack grassroots support in Penang.

DAP is expected to field former Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) professor P Ramasamy for the Batu Kawan parliamentary seat, where 23 percent of the voters are Indians.

Although observers are expecting a swing in votes in favour of the opposition, MCA and Gerakan candidates with excellent service records may still be able to emerge victorious albeit with reduced majorities.

lim guan eng Meanwhile, Guan Eng is expected to contest in the Bukit Gelugor parliamentary seat, which is currently held by DAP national chairperson Karpal.

Karpal is expected to move to the Bagan parliamentary seat and the DAP incumbent there, Lim Hock Seng, will move to a state seat.

Observers noted that Guan Eng’s primary aim is to return to Parliament. Since he does not want to take on Koh, the secretary-general has opted for a safe seat.

Furthermore, it is said that some of the locals in Bukit Gelugor are not happy with Karpal in terms of solving local issues.

In total, DAP has four parliamentary seats in Penang. Apart from Bagan and Bukit Gelugor, the other two are Bukit Mertajam (held by DAP Wanita chief Chong Eng) and Tanjung (Penang DAP chief Chow Kon Yeow).

With so many heavyweights shifting about, Penang is sure to guarantee excitement come polling day.