Pahang DAP drops Wong Tack, Young Syefura to take on Liow in Bentong

Pahang DAP has named four parliamentary candidates with the big news being that anti-Lynas activist Wong Tack has been dropped in Bentong where the party's Ketari assemblyperson Young Syefura Othman is set to take on former MCA president Liow Tiong Lai.

DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke announced a line-up of Chiong Yoke Kong (Cameron Highlands), Chow Yu Hui (Raub), Young Syefura (Bentong) and Tengku Zulpuri Shah Raja Puji (Lipis) in a press conference at the party headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today.

Chiong is the incumbent Tanah Ratah assemblyperson and is moving to take on Cameron Highlands. Earlier, Malaysiakini reported a party source as saying that Wong Tack was initially offered to contest there after being moved from Bentong.

Young Syefura will contest against Liow, who defeated Wong in 2013 but lost to him in 2018.

Speaking at a press conference after announcing the candidacy, Loke said he believed Young Syefura is a winnable candidate in Bentong.

“The decision is made not just based on observations, but there is also a survey and we believe she is a winnable candidate there.

"If elected, she will become DAP’s first Malay female MP and I put my trust in her, having served the area for five years. She also has a good track record among voters in the Ketari constituency.

“That is one of the factors that can help the party to win the seat,” said Loke.

‘Wong was offered Cameron Highlands’

Asked of Wong’s jarring omission, Loke said the party had offered for the former to be fielded at Cameron Highlands, but he was not open to the suggestion.

“I suggested for him to contest in Cameron Highlands, but he did not agree to it.

“Chiong said he would give way if Wong wants (to contest in Cameron Highlands), but he didn’t agree. So, the party had to decide,” said Loke.

DAP vice-chairperson Teresa Kok, who was also present at the presser, said the voters’ ethnic breakdown in Bentong is 50.6 percent Malay, 38.9 percent Chinese and 9.5 percent Indian, which makes it a strategic move to field Young Syefura there.

Meanwhile, Chow will face off against MCA secretary-general Chong Sin Woon in Raub, while Tengku Zulpuri is moving from Raub to run in Lipis.

“Tengku Zulpuri will be given an exception to contest in both parliamentary and state seats. He is the only DAP candidate who will be contesting in two seats.

“The state seat will be announced next week in Bentong,” Loke said.

For the record, Lipis consists of a majority Malay populace, which makes up 78 per cent of the population, and has been a BN stronghold for decades.

In the 2018 general election, Umno’s Abdul Rahman Mohamad defeated his opponents from Bersatu and PAS by garnering 13,995 votes.

He added that DAP’s Pahang chapter will also be contesting in eight state seats like in the previous election and a fresh face will be fielded to replace Young Syefura in Ketari.

DAP reshuffle: Bee Yin, Hong Pin, Gobind to contest in new seats

Anwar: Hadi knew 'communist DAP' is untrue, signed the 2008 document

Despite supporters' demands, DAP may let Muda contest Tanjong Karang

Wong Tack likely to make way for Syefura in Bentong