SIM-RAM PAIRING TO REJUVENATE PENANG DAP, TRANSITION TOWARDS STATE ELECTION

By R. Ratcharathan

GEORGE TOWN, Sept 24 (Bernama) -- The pairing of Steven Sim Chee Keong and Ramkarpal Singh in leading the Penang DAP is a 'signal' to rejuvenate the party after 25 years under the old leadership and is thus seen as a transition towards the preparation for the next state election.

The pairing of the Minister of Human Resources and former Deputy Minister of the Prime Minister's Department (Legal and Institutional Reforms) as chairman and deputy chairman of the Penang DAP together with Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying as the state DAP secretary is also seen as strengthening unity in the party.

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Political analyst Professor Datuk Dr Sivamurugan Pandian said Sim who assumed Penang DAP chairman for the 2024/2027 term to replace Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow who held the position since 1999 is considered a unifying factor of various camps in DAP and facilitating the transition of leadership in the party and the state.

"The winning combination comes from various camps and it is Sim's responsibility to bring everyone together and ensure there is no internal unrest and to close ranks among all members.

"The victory of the state committee is a reflection for all the teams as there are exco (state governments) who lost and there were members of the State Assembly who were dropped (as state election candidates) who won," he said when contacted by Bernama today.

The Senior Lecturer in Political Sociology at the Universiti Sains Malaysia School of Social Sciences also described the combination of the Penang DAP Committee 2024/2027 as showing that the delegation chose to ensure continuity in the changes of generation Z.

Also in sharing this view was Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Political Science Programme Senior Lecturer Jamaie Hamil who said the young leadership of  'Sim-Ram' partnership will give new life to the party so that it will be more dynamic in the future to continue to remain relevant in the state's political landscape.

He said Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal who received the highest number of votes which was 1,247 surprised many because his name was not mentioned as the party's main choice, but the son of 'Harimau Jelutong' the late Tan Sri Karpal Singh is no stranger to DAP.

"Ramkarpal's victory will open a new era in DAP leadership not only at the state level but also at the central level because the legacy of Karpal Singh should not be taken lightly as his legacy gave a very big influence in DAP.

"So, this is a sign that there is democracy in DAP to give Ramkarpal the opportunity to continue moving forward, while being appointed as the state deputy chairman will make him play the role (as) a politician to contribute to the interests of the state, the people and the party," he said.

The political analyst is also of the view that the presence of the Bukit Mertajam MP as the new state DAP chairman will not threaten Chow's position as Chief Minister because Sim already has a full ministerial position at the federal level at the moment.

However, Fellow of the Malaysian Academy of Sciences Prof Jayum Anak Jawan has a different view that Chow’s handing over of baton to Sim after serving for 25 years as the state DAP chairman will somewhat undermine Chow's position in the Penang administration.

He also raised the question whether yesterday's DAP committee election shows the beginning of the party's grassroots for reform within the party or whether it remains with the old pattern of governance under a few key leaders of the party.

At the Penang DAP Convention on Sunday, Sim was appointed as Penang DAP chairman for the 2024/2027 term after receiving the second highest number of votes at 1,237, while Ramkarpal, who received the highest number of votes of 1,247, was appointed as the state DAP deputy chairman besides Lim who is the younger sister the DAP national chairman, was retained as the state DAP secretary.

State Infrastructure, Transport and Digital Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari, who obtained 1,225 votes, and former State DAP organising assistant secretary Datuk Yeoh Soon Hin (1,225 votes) were each appointed as state DAP vice chairman.

Among the figures who failed to get the top 15 positions was Penang DAP deputy chairman and Deputy Chief Minister II Jagdeep Singh Deo  while four assemblymen who lost included Wong Hon Wai (Paya Terubong) and State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman, Heng Lee Lee (Berapit), Ong Ah Teong (Batu Lanchang) and Joseph Ng Soon Siang (Air Itam).

Previously, DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook said Chow will continue to hold the position of Chief Minister until the end of this term in line with the provision of the State Constitution which limits the position of Chief Minister to two terms.

-- BERNAMA