Himpunan Hijau chairperson Wong Tack was greeted with passion by a 3,000-strong crowd last night when he was formally introduced by the DAP as its candidate for the Bentong parliamentary seat in the coming general election.

dap wong tack bentong ceramah 20130312 06 lim guan eng The quiet town was packed with supporters from both the green movement and the opposition at an open area near the Bentong Big House, where a DAP ceramah was held.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng ( right )  personally introduced Wong to the crowd, for saying the party needed a strong candidate to combat the current MP and Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai of the MCA, who won with a 12,000-vote majority in 2008.

azlan "But just sending a ‘general' (like Wong) is not enough. We are sending Himpunan Hijau as well," Lim told the cheering crowd.

"I announce Wong is going to contest in Bentong, and this is the unanimous decision of the DAP candidate selection committee," he said and invited Wong and other DAP leaders to the stage.

"If we can win the Bentong seat, then we can take Putrajaya. Wong Tack will not be an opposition member, but a member in new federal government," he said.

"Give your children hope and a sweet dream. Malaysia is not going to end up in chaos. Instead the days ahead of us will be better," added Lim, who is also Penang chief minister.

Born and bred in Bentong, Wong said the notion of contesting in his hometown has stirred his emotions.

'Our cries have fallen on BN's deaf ears'

He said Himpunan Hijau had gone through numerous struggles since it was formed, be it the 300km green march or the hunger strike. However, their cries for the people and the environment have only fallen on the deaf ears of the BN government

"In this critical moment, we know that the green warriors and patriots will stand with us.

dap wong tack bentong ceramah 20130312 05 "We want to push the green movement to a higher level, we will enter politics and beat the rotten government. We want the Lynas plant to close down in shortest period possible," Wong said.

This is not his fight alone, he said, but the fight of the green patriots for a seat that has become much of a focus in Pahang.

"Let us stand up together. If we can win Bentong, we will win nationwide. Let us stand in Bentong and shake the country," Wong added.

Also present were DAP treasurer and Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun, organising secretary and Rasah MP Anthony Loke and Triang assemblyperson and Pahang DAP liaison chief Leong Ngah Ngah.

According to event emcee Chow Yu Hui, the ceramah was organised in less than 24 hours and it was therefore astonishing that 3,000 people turned up.

dap wong tack bentong ceramah 20130312 07 crowd The DAP formally announced the fielding of Wong Tack in Bentong under the party banner just five hours before the ceramah was held.

Bentong is an MCA stronghold, with both the DAP and PKR having been defeated there seven times in previous general elections and a by-election.

In the 2008 general election, Liow defeated PKR candidate G Ponnusamy by a majority of 12,549 votes, which is why Wong's bid to unseat the MCA deputy president is seen as an uphill task.

Quit Himpunan Hijau, panel member urges Wong Tack