DAP last night announced the names of 11 candidates, including a new face, who will be fielded in the Negri Sembilan elections next month.

Its secretary-general Anthony Loke, when announcing the candidates, also confirmed that he will be defending the Chennah seat in the polls, while first-time candidate Desmond Sian Meow Kong will be contesting the Rahang seat.

Also contesting are Teo Kok Seong (Bahau), J. Arul Kumar (Nilai), Chew Seh Yong (Lobak), Ng Chin Tsai (Temiang), Nicole Tan (Bukit Kepayang), Yap Yew Weng (Mambau), P. Gunasegaran  (Seremban Jaya), Choo Ken Hwa (Lukut) and S. Veerapan (Repah).

“Negri Sembilan was won in the spirit of Pakatan Harapan (PH) in 2018. I am a Negri Sembilan native, raised here, started my political career here, so of course, Negri Sembilan is close to my heart.  

“Ten of the seats we kept as status quo, and only seat, in Rahang, we are featuring a new face. Many of DAP’s candidates in Negri Sembilan are still young, in their 30s to 60s,” he told reporters after the PH candidate announcement ceremony in Seremban.

He said DAP will be contesting in only four states, and will be announcing its candidates for Selangor today, followed by Penang and Kedah respectively tomorrow. 

“Tonight is not about DAP candidates, or Amanah, or PKR, but only PH because we represent PH, we enter the ring with the PH symbol,” he said. 

Barisan Nasional (BN) last Friday announced 17 candidates running in the state. This was followed by the announcement of six PKR candidates by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is also PKR president, and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu’s announcement of its two candidates. 

Loke said all the candidates need to defend the Negri Sembilan government and retain Aminuddin Harun as the menteri besar candidate.

Meanwhile, Loke also thanked Amanah for handing over its incumbent seat, Lenggeng, which it won in the 14th general election to BN this time around.

The following are the DAP candidates contesting in Negri Sembilan: 

N01 Chennah – Anthony Loke

N08 Bahau – Teo Kok Seong

N10 Nilai – J. Arul Kumar

N11 Lobak – Chew Seh Yong

N12 Temiang – Ng Chin Tsai

N21 Bukit Kepayang – Nicole Tan

N22 Rahang – Desmond Sian Meow Kong

N23 Mambau – Yap Yew Weng

N24 Seremban Jaya – P. Gunasegaran

N30 Lukut – Choo Ken Hwa

N36 Repah – S. Veerapan. – Bernama, July 24, 2023.