TELUK INTAN MCA today claimed that DAP has announced Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud as its candidate in the Teluk Intan parliamentary seat by-election because they had failed to find a local candidate.

MCA president Liow Tiong Lai (left) said that DAP's action to field a Malay candidate was also seen to resolve disputes between local leaders scrambling to be a candidate in the area.

"There are factions in their own party with members scrambling to become elected representatives. But finally Lim Kit Siang (DAP adviser) is using

'tactics' to solve his own problems within the party.

"But the people of Teluk Intan want change and development. They are not bothered by DAP's internal conflicts or why the party cannot find a good representative from Teluk Intan," he told reporters after attending the launch of Bandar Tun Razak MCA headquarters and Community Centre today.

Dyana Sofya (below) , 27, political secretary to party veteran Lim Kit Siang, was chosen to defend the seat in the by-election scheduled for this May 31.

Nomination for the by-election is on May 19 and early voting on May 27.

In the 13th general election, DAP candidate Seah Leong Peng beat Barisan Nasional (BN)'s candidate Gerakan president Datuk Mah Siew Keong with a majority of 7,313 votes.

The Teluk Intan by-election is being held following the death of Seah, 48, from cancer on May 1.

Liow hoped that the people of Teluk Intan would be able to evaluate the integrity pact between PAS, DAP and PKR, as they were always seen to have failed to find consensus on various issues.

Taking the example of hudud, Liow said DAP itself had failed to convince PAS to stop its agenda to implement the law, even though they were in the same alliance.

"BN is stronger, more responsible, has a clear transformation agenda as well as a system of consensus that is good enough to guard the unity and harmony of the country for a long time," he said.

- Bernama