PETALING JAYA: Johor DAP chairman Liew Chin Tong has been named the party’s candidate for Ayer Hitam, clearing the path for a showdown with MCA deputy president Wee Ka Siong in the coming polls.
Wee has been the MP for Ayer Hitam for three terms, but his rivals in all three general elections were from PAS.
Wee’s majority steadily declined from 15,763 in the 2004 election to 13,909 in 2008 to 7,310 in 2013.
Liew’s candidacy is no surprise, and the Kluang MP has been speculated to be transfered to Ayer Hitam to challenge Wee.
In January, a confident Liew said MCA was “panicky” over DAP’s plans to field a candidate in Ayer Hitam.
“All of a sudden, we are bringing the battlefield to his doorstep,” he had told FMT.
Malay voters make up 57.57% of Ayer Hitam’s electorate, while Chinese voters account for 38.43% and Indians 4%.