DAP drops Ramasamy, Chong Eng from line-up for Penang polls

DAP has announced 19 candidates, including seven new faces, to contest the state election in Penang next month, with Deputy Chief Minister P Ramasamy dropped from the list.

DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke, in announcing the list of names, said Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and party chairman Lim Guan Eng would defend their Padang Kota and Air Putih seats.

Also defending their seats are Zairil Khir Johari (Tanjung Bunga) and Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datok Keramat).

As for the new faces, Loke listed Phee Syn Tze for the Sungai Puyu seat, Chee Yeeh Keen (Bagan Jermal), Kumaran Krishnan (Bagan Dalam), Sundarajoo Somu (Perai), Wing Yuee Harng (Pengkalan Kota), Woo Sze Zeng (Pulau Tikus) and Tan Hooi Peng (Seri Delima).

DAP women’s chief Chong Eng was dropped from the line-up along with Ramasamy. 
 
Meanwhile, the incumbents for Pengkalan Kota (Gooi Zi Sen) and Bukit Bendera (Wong Hon Wain) will be fielded as candidates in Padang Lalang and Paya Terubong, respectively.

"I call on the party machinery to unite to give us the strength to face the challenge and retain the 19 seats as our KPI in the upcoming election.

"Our mission is to retain the Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan governments, and if possible, win another or two more state governments.

"If this can be achieved, the country will be more stable under the unity government and make Penang more progressive," Loke said in his speech.

He also announced two DAP candidates who will be fielded in Kedah: Teh Swee Leong for the Kota Darulaman seat and Tan Kok Yew for Derga.