LIEW Chin Tong is expected to lead Johor DAP again after tomorrow’s state party polls, as he has received the blessings of the party’s central leadership and veteran Lim Kit Siang, said party insiders.

This is despite the party’s strategist and former deputy defence minister’s stewardship of the state coming under attack in recent months, they said.

There are 38 candidates vying for 15 seats in the state line-up. Under DAP’s two-tier election system the 15 winners elect office bearers from among themselves.

There are four MPs, 14 state assemblymen and one senator picked to contest in this election.

Party insiders said more than half are pro-Liew candidates with the rest a mixed bag, who don’t mind Liew but want the state chapter to be led by a local, or outright dissenters against his leadership.

Those who supported Liew described him as an indispensable “military officer” who had contributed much to Johor DAP.

But some complained that Liew spent little time in managing the state and was busy focusing on national issues.

Liew countered this to point out his track record in addressing grassroots issues and had spent almost three days a week in various parts of Johor preparing for the last general election since 2017.

And after coming to power in 2018, Liew said although his duties as a deputy defence minister took more time, he made it a point to stay in Johor for at least two days a week until the movement-control order period.

Those rooting for Liew are generally satisfied with his performance and said he should be given another term, whatever his flaws, imagined or real.

They said Liew is the best candidate to lead Johor during the current political uncertainty and especially since the 15th general election may be held at any time.

A leader familiar with the situation in Johor told The Malaysian Insight that Liew has an advantage.

“Besides having the blessings of the central leadership, his camp includes Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching, Kluang MP Wong Shu Qi as well as other MPs,” the leader said.

He said party veteran and Iskandar Puteri MP Lim Kit Siang has also been stumping for Liew, which is bound to carry a lot of weight with delegates.

Lim, who is in Covid-19 quarantine and will not be able to take part in the state convention in Batu Pahat, reminded delegates in a statement how Liew had engineered the rise of the party as a force in Johor politics over two general elections.

He said the change for DAP in Johor was due to the vision and courage of Liew who worked tirelessly from 2012 to transform Johor from the invincible fort of Barisan Nasional into a formidable frontline for the party.

Lim said before the 13th general election, all DAP could win was one parliamentary seat – Kluang in the 1978 general election (Lee Kaw) and Bakri in the 2008 general election (Er Teck Hwa).

“In the 13th general election, DAP won four parliamentary seats – Bakri (Er Teck Hwa), Kluang (Liew Chin Tong), Kulai (Teo Nie Ching) and Gelang Patah (Lim Kit Siang).

In the 14th general election, we won five parliamentary seats – Bakri (Yeo Bee Yin), Kluang (Wong Shu Qi), Labis (Pang Hok Liong), Kulai (Teo Nie Ching) and Iskandar Puteri (Lim Kit Siang).

Lim said this transformation can be seen from the results of the three last general elections for the Johor state assembly.

“Before 2013, the most number of state assembly seats won by the DAP were four – Bentayan (Quee Tong Hiang), Mengkibol (Ng Lam Hua), Skudai (Boo Cheng Hau) and Senai (Ong Kow Meng),” he said.

In GE13, DAP won 13 state seats, which increased to 14 in GE14.

Another district chairman told The Malaysian Insight said among the 38 candidates for the Johor DAP elections, 23 are pro-Liew candidates.

The charge against Liew is being led by Dr Boo Cheng Hau, the party’s former state chairman and his former protégé Skudai rep Tan Hong Pin and Pekan Nenas rep Yeo Tung Siong.

Boo and Tan were allies but fell out and denied joining forces in the quest to topple Liew.

Tan Hong Pin told The Malaysian Insight, “my only goal is to gain a place on the next committee.”

Tan clarified in a Facebook post on April 7 that he is not a challenger. He said he has served in the state party committee for more than 12 years and with his current position as the state secretary, he should be considered an incumbent. – May 1, 2021.