Malaysian political event held in Shah Alam, Selangor
Tan Kok Wai
Lim Guan Eng
Lim Kit Siang
Voting
Total delegates
4,149[1]
The 2022 Democratic Action Party National Congress was a central executive committee (CEC) electing congress that was held on 20 March 2022, at the IDCC Ideal Convention Centre in Shah Alam, Selangor. At the congress, delegates of the Malaysian Democratic Action Party (DAP) formally chose former transport minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook and former finance minister Lim Guan Eng as the party's secretary-general and national chairman, respectively, for the term 2021–2024.[2]
Originally scheduled to be held 20 December 2020, simultaneously at Shah Alam, Kota Kinabalu, and Kuching, the congress was twice postponed, first to 20 June 2021, then again to 20 March 2022, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic in Malaysia.[3][4]
Background
The congress was the 17th DAP National Congress. There was heightened public attention to this congress edition as it will see the DAP elect a new secretary-general with the outgoing Lim Guan Eng having served the maximum three terms provided by the party constitution.[1][5][6]
Selection of delegates
The DAP's constitution provides for every party branch with at least 25 members to send 2 delegates as their representative.[7] An additional delegate is allowed for branches with membership exceeding 50 and for branches exceeding 100 members, an incremental addition is allowed for every additional 100 paid up members. All of DAP's elected representatives, Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), alongside other incumbent CEC members are also entitled to attend the congress as delegates. Clause VIII Section 14 allows every delegate to vote for 30 members each to fill the CEC for the upcoming term.[7]
At present, the northwestern states of Penang and Perak consists of the most branches and members, and thus, sends the highest number of delegates.[8]
Logistics
Delay
The congress was originally scheduled to be held 20 December 2020.[3]
On 21 January 2022, it was announced that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the congress would again be delayed to 20 March 2022.[9] Then-national organising secretary Anthony Loke announced that this decision was made by the party CEC in line with the advice given by Malaysia's Registrar of Societies (RoS) that the party should hold its triennial congress before 31 March 2022.
Health protocols
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a number of protocols have been put in place.
Participants at IDCC Ideal Convention Centre were required to wear personal protective equipment, undergo daily COVID-19 testing, and follow National Security Council (NSC) guidelines, and health ministry (MOH) standard operating procedures (SOPs).[10]
Congress leadership
Officers
Former Tanjong Batu MLA Chiew Chiu Sing served as the chair of the congress.[11] The deputy chairs of the congress were Nilai MLA Arul Kumar Jambunathan and Seri Delima MLA Syerleena Abdul Rashid.[11]
The congress' returning officer was John Lau Tiang Hua.[12]
Nominating and voting
Central Executive Committee voting
Vote
The table below reflects the delegate votes.[note 2][13] Voting results were audited and confirmed by Grant Thornton Malaysia PLT.[2] A total of 93 candidates vied for 30 positions in the CEC.[14]
Clause VIII Section 16 of the DAP's constitution state that a thirty per cent quota (30%) of the CEC is reserved for female members translating to at least nine members.[7]
Co-opted into Central Executive Committee
Elected into the Central Executive Committee
No.
Candidate
Votes
Rank
Position/notability
21
Gobind Singh Deo
1,782
1
10th Communications and Multimedia Minister of Malaysia
MP for Puchong
Deputy National Chairman of Democratic Action Party
DAP sentiasa memperingati perjuangan and pengorbanan pemimpin generasi terdahulu dan pada masa yang sama, terus memberikan ruang kepada generasi yang baru untuk memacu kemajuan parti untuk bergerak ke hadapan. Inilah punca utama kekuatan kita.
— Tan Kok Wai at the 2022 Democratic Action Party National Congress[11]
Tan Kok Wai, as incumbent national chairman of the DAP, delivered his speech first to open the congress as per Clause IX Section 3 of the party constitution.[7]
Tan's speech was focused on both the importance of a mature political culture whilst championing women's rights and anti-corruption. He discussed how the party is empowering women and standing by one of its core principle of equal rights for all races. He touted the DAP's stance on not cooperating with the "perasuah, pengkhianat, penyangak, dan juga katak politik" (corrupt, traitors, rogues, and also "political frogs").
Tan also recounted the personal disappointment of the collapse of the elected government in the aftermath of the 2020 Malaysian political crisis in the hands of the "rejim yang korup" (corrupt regime) who have since shown a lack of capability in administering the nation.[11]
Lim Guan Eng
Malaysia dimiliki oleh semua rakyat, tanpa kira umur, jantina, kaum, agama, dan latar belakang. Tidak kira dari Semenanjung Malaysia, Sabah, Sarawak, ataupun sama ada mereka berbangsa Melayu, Cina, India, Orang Asli, Kadazandusun Murut, ataupun Iban Dayak. Tidak sepatutnya berlaku diskrimasi ataupun peminggiran dalam aspek politik, sosial dan ekonomi. Semua rakyat Malaysia seharusnya dopat tempat bersama di bawah naungan negara Malaysia.
— Lim Guan Eng at the 2022 Democratic Action Party National Congress[11]
Lim Guan Eng, the fifth and outgoing secretary-general of the DAP, delivered his speech following the conclusion of Tan's speech.
Lim's speech was focused on secularism and equal rights for all citizens. He discussed how extremism and corruption even during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic had impacted the economy and led to "various threats". He touted the DAP's success, under his stewardship, in transforming Penang into a leading state in Malaysia within ten years and the regret that they were not accorded the same luxury to do the same for the country as a whole.
Lim also recounted the DAP's past resilience from when he first took office as party secretary-general in September 2004 in its dream to create a better country for all Malaysians in the face of multiple recent state election defeats.[11]
Lim Kit Siang
为实现马来西亚萌的斗争,我们必须。。。,而这个事业就交给你们了。谢谢各位。
— Lim Kit Siang at the 2022 Democratic Action Party National Congress[11]
Lim Kit Siang, the senior member of the DAP, was given an opportunity to give a speech after his son, Guan Eng, announced the elder Lim's retirement from active politics after fifty-six years.[17] In that span, Lim was party secretary-general for thirty years and subsequently became the longest-serving Malaysian Parliamentary Opposition Leader during part of his eleven terms as MP.
Lim's speech was focused on the party's struggle and mission. He urged the party members to continue fighting in line with the party's vision and hope for the country.[11]
Aftermath
Following Lim Kit Siang's decision to retire from active politics, he was given the figurehead position as party mentor whilst outgoing national chairman Tan Kok Wai was named advisor.[16]Rais Yatim, 18th President of the Dewan Negara, remarked that the government should pay tribute to Lim having served over half a century in the nation's political arena.[18]
After news broke that both Lim and Anwar Ibrahim, who was in attendance as People's Justice Party (PKR) president, tested positive for COVID-19, convicted former prime ministerNajib Razak remarked on his personal Facebook page why Lim was not fined for hugging attendees.[19] This triggered a response by health minister Khairy Jamaluddin, also on Facebook, that Lim has indeed been issued a RM1,000 compound but also questioned as to why Najib himself has yet to pay an outstanding four fines himself and that his officers has refused to accept them.[20][21]
In the aftermath of the vote, Damansara MP and former corporate man Tony Pua Kiam Wee, who was a key figure in exposing the 1MDB scandal and also pro bono political secretary to Lim Guan Eng during his tenure as finance minister, expressed his surprise in not retaining a position in the CEC despite the number of positions being increased from twenty to thirty.[22] Newly-minted secretary-general Loke seemingly reassured Pua the following day, calling the latter a "very important asset" to the party.[23]
On 23 March 2022, Dr. Boo Cheng Hau, former chairman of the DAP's Johor chapter, called for Lim to step down as party chairman until all of Lim's corruption cases have been resolved in court.[24][25]Chow Kon Yeow, DAP national vice-chairman and Lim's successor as Penang chief minister, responded on 26 March 2022 that the party will not make any changes to Lim's position until the court has delivered its verdict on the latter's outstanding cases.[26]
^Originally scheduled to be held 20 December 2020, but rescheduled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
^Information of and votes received by candidates 05 through to 07 are missing due to a technical issue with the results video.
References
^ abAbdul Aziz, Nur Ashikin (19 March 2022). "DAP to elect new Central Executive Committee line-up, Guan Eng's successor ahead of GE15". The Edge (Malaysia). Archived from the original on 23 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
^ abHasnan, Harits Asyraf (20 March 2022). "CEC DAP: Gobind raih undi tertinggi, beberapa nama besar tewas". Astro Awani (in Malay). Retrieved 22 March 2022.
^ ab"Report: Selangor DAP convention, national congress expected to be postponed due to MCO". The Star (Malaysia). 17 May 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
^Tee, Kenneth (16 June 2021). "Loke: DAP National Congress, slated for June 20, postponed indefinitely, new dates only after MCO 3.0 is lifted". Malay Mail. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
^"DAP to elect Guan Eng's successor ahead of GE15". New Straits Times. Bernama. 19 March 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
^Muthiah, Wani (19 March 2022). "All eyes on DAP national congress as new sec-gen is expected to be selected". The Star (Malaysia). Retrieved 22 March 2022.
^ abcd"Party Constitution". dapmalaysia.org. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
^Hutchinson, Francis E.; Zhang, Kevin (7 September 2021). "2021/118 "Malaysia's Democratic Action Party (DAP): Background and Inner Workings" by Francis E. Hutchinson and Kevin Zhang". ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
^"DAP National Congress set on March 20 - Loke". The Sun (Malaysia). Bernama. 21 January 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
^"DAP to hold national congress on March 20, says Anthony Loke". The Star (Malaysia). 21 January 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
^ abcdefgh"Kongres Kebangsaan Parti Tindakan Demokratik Ke-17". Facebook (in Malay). Democratic Action Party. 20 March 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
^"Gobind, Chow Kon Yeow and Anthony Loke lead top spots in DAP's new CEC line-up as Tony Pua, Kian Ming miss the cut". The Borneo Post. Malay Mail. 20 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
^"Keputusan pemilihan Jawatankuasa Tertinggi Pusat DAP". Facebook (in Malay). Democratic Action Party. 20 March 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
^"DAP's Central Executive Committee takes place with 93 candidates vying for 30 seats". Malay Mail. Bernama. 20 March 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
^ abcdefghijklMat Ruzki, Rafidah; Patho Rohman, Mohd Anwar; Hussin, Khairul Azran (12 November 2017). "Tiada perubahan besar kepemimpinan DAP". Berita Harian (in Malay). Retrieved 21 March 2022.
^ abcdefghijklmTong, Geraldine (21 March 2022). "Anthony Loke is new DAP sec-gen". Malaysiakini. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
^Thomas, Jason (20 March 2022). "After 56 years, Kit Siang quits politics". Free Malaysia Today. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
^"Rais: Kit Siang deserves respect and recognition". Malaysiakini. 22 March 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
^"Hugged Kit Siang? Don't come to Parliament, says Najib". Free Malaysia Today. 21 March 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
^Bala Krishnan, Dhesegaan (22 March 2022). "SOP violation compound against Kit Siang triggers spat between Khairy and Najib". New Straits Times. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
^"MOH: Najib's officer refused to accept 4 fines". Malaysiakini. 22 March 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
^"Surprised, but no regrets, says Pua after losing CEC seat". Free Malaysia Today. 21 March 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
^"Loke deems Pua 'important asset' to DAP despite snub from delegates". Malaysiakini. 23 March 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
^Tan, Ben (23 March 2022). "Johor DAP's Dr Boo calls for Guan Eng to resign from party's national chairman's post". Malay Mail. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
^"It's nothing personal, says Boo on call for Guan Eng to quit". Free Malaysia Today. 24 March 2022. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
^"DAP to decide Guan Eng's fate in party only after court verdict, says veep". The Borneo Post. Malay Mail. 26 March 2022. Retrieved 27 March 2022.