DISGRUNTLED DAP incumbents who have been dropped from standing the Penang elections must close ranks and work together to ensure Pakatan Harapan wins the state again, party chairman Lim Guan Eng said.

The Bagan MP said he was aware of the backlash from DAP incumbents who had been omitted from running again but urged everyone to remain united.

“We hope they respect, accept and support the party’s decisions,” Lim was reported telling journalists in Penang last night.

“Let us come together to ensure that we can retain Penang,” he said.

Lim was referring to criticism from outgoing deputy chief minister II P. Ramasamy and Bagan Dalam assemblyman M. Satees who claimed there was a lack of transparency in the party’s decision not to renominate them.

DAP Wanita head Chong Eng had also expressed her disappointment in not being selected to stand again.

Lim said DAP wants to strike a balance between continuity and renewal to meet the expectations of younger voters.

“I think what we need to do is move forward and make sure we can secure victory.”

Following the announcement of the DAP line-up, Satees said an “emperor” was making all the candidate decisions, dropping those who had been supporters of caretaker chief minister Chow Kon Yeow.

DAP will be contesting 19 seats, of which seven incumbents had been dropped. – July 27, 2023.