“The move is to break any perception that Penang DAP is in disarray after the current chairman (Chow Kon Yeow) announced he will not be defending his post in the coming polls,” Chin Yee Mun , a political analyst with Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, told FMT.
Chin was commenting after DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook expressed support last week for the Sim-Lim combination and called for party members to back the duo in the state chapter elections on Sept 22.
He said former chief minister Lim Guan Eng’s support for the duo would also carry weight given his position as the party’s national chairman. Guan Eng is Hui Ying’s brother.
Such endorsement is needed as much has been said about the in-fighting within Penang DAP, Chin said.
Media reports previously speculated about an internal conflict, with tensions between Guan Eng’s and Chow’s camps spilling over into the public domain.
Last week, Malaysiakini reported that Guan Eng appeared keen on Loke’s suggestion that Sim take over as the state chapter’s chairman, with Hui Ying touted as its secretary.
Chinese daily Kwong Wah Yit Poh reported Loke as describing the duo as the “optimal team” to lead the state chapter.
Chin said no other options were available to Penang DAP delegates presently. He also said the state chapter needs to be led by those who are “known at both state and national levels”.
“Being the daughter of Lim Kit Siang and the sister of the current DAP chairman will certainly carry weight and will be useful to calm down the restlessness of Penang DAP’s internal politics,” he said, referring to Hui Ying.
He also said Sim’s track record puts him in good stead when dealing with the party’s partners in Pakatan Harapan.
“Sim’s relationship with other unity government leaders seems quite solid,” he said.
Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Sivamurugan Pandian said the pair appears to be acceptable to all camps within DAP.
“It is vital to find a compromise and the Sim-Lim pairing could be a solution to avoid any internal conflict, crisis, or bickering during party elections,” he said.
Sim and Hui Ying are among 32 DAP officials from the Penang chapter vying for 15 positions in the state chapter’s 2024/2027 committee.
The successful candidates will then choose the next Penang DAP chairman from among themselves.
It has been widely speculated that both Sim and Hui Ying are prime contenders for the state chapter chairmanship, a position which would normally make them frontrunners to be named Penang chief minister.
However, neither is eligible to assume the role as they are not members of the state legislature.