Delegates voting at the DAP's national congress in Penang tomorrow will get to experience first-hand on how to vote with indelible ink.

NONE Penang DAP chairperson Chow Kon Yeow ( left ) said the voting technique is a "symbolic" gesture to prepare party members for the coming 13th general election, which must be called by June next year.

"We want to show that this (voting by indelible ink) can be done," said Chow, also a state executive councillor, at a press conference today.

Gazetted on Feb 13, indelible ink will be used in the next general election with voters' left forefingers inked at voting centres.

He was accompanied by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, DAP organising secretary Teresa Kok, the party's state secretary and Komtar assemblyperson Ng Wei Aik with MPs Tony Pua (Petaling Jaya Utara) and Liew Chin Tong (Bukit Bendera).

The DAP leaders had taken a large group of media personnel to visit the Penang International Sports Arena in Bayan Baru, the venue of the planned two-day congress.

Still under renovation to become the new subterannean Penang International Convention and Exhibition (sPICE ) Centre, the venue is a stadium-like setting able to hold a crowd of about 3,000.

'Green' activities in store

On Penang being chosen as the location for this important congress, Chow said state leaders felt "touched" over the opportunity to hold such a massive party event.

"This is the first time that in the party's history of 46 years that the state has been selected for such a big occasion. I remember in 1991, Penang was also chosen, but for a party convention.

"But while we feel touched with this gesture. We feel the great burden and responsibilities ahead of us.

"We are about to host close to 2,000 delegates, plus hundreds of observers, media personnel and special guests and we are doing all we can so that the event will be perfect," he added.

Chow said many have offered to be volunteers and many have been recruited to make sure that everything goes on "smoothly" during the programme, which will start the with registration of delegates at 8am tomorrow to end around 1pm on Sunday.

A total of 2,576 delegates from 730 branches have been invited to choose the new central executive committee (CEC) line-up, where 66 hopefuls will be vying for 20 posts.

NONE Invitations have also gone out to about 700 observers and 50 specials guests from Pakatan Rakyat and embassy representatives.

The successful 20 leaders will then convene to appoint 10 others to join the CEC committee, which will take the party into the coming country polls.

Chow said the two-day event will be decorated with green activities such as Penang hawkers' fare (about 30 stalls), concert and performances on DAP's "green machine or the Ubah truck"  by the singing YB, Jelutong MP Jeff Ooi ( right ).

"A creche will be provided and a LED screen available to broadcast the event 'live' on tv.dapmalaysia.org.

"One of the activities also includes an appreciation session for senior leaders who have served the party for 35 years and above," said Chow.