PETALING JAYA, Jan 22 (Sin Chew Daily) — DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng is likely to be the party’s chairman after stepping down as secretary-general having served for three terms.

Under the party’s constitution, the secretary-general can only hold the post for a maximum of three terms.

Sin Chew Daily learned that current chairman Tan Kok Wai is not seeking re-election in the upcoming party election.

This means Lim is likely to receive the mandate of central executive committee (CEC) members to become the new chairman.

All eyes are on the party election as the 15th general elections may be held soon and whether there will be new DAP leadership to lead the party in the elections.

Lim was first appointed secretary-general on September 4, 2004, then 2008 and 2017.

He was to have completed his three terms earlier but the CEC decided to defer party elections for 18 months then to prepare for the 14th general elections.

Hence his position as secretary-general was also extended.

As the Registrar of Societies (ROS) did not recognize the re-election on September 29, 2013, DAP held a fresh round of election on November 12, 2017.

The party election scheduled for 2020 was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A total of 86 candidates were vying for the 30 CEC positions, meaning stiff competition and intense fights among the contestants.

DAP organizing secretary Anthony Loke Siew Fook announced the deferment of the party’s election from March to June 20 last year, But the ROS instructed the party election to put the election on hold again due to the movement control order 3.0.

It is learned that the CEC discussed about party election in the recent meeting but did not mention about a fresh round of nominations.
Sources said the party had instructed its divisions to nominate their candidates again.

As the party election was put on hold, the list of candidates was not announced.

Loke, deputy organizing secretary Nga Kor Ming and deputy chairman Gobind Singh Deo are likely candidates as the new sec-gen.

Sources believe campaigning would start after Chinese New Year.