By Asia Samachar | Malaysia |
Ramkarpal Singh topped the state polls for the Democratic Action Party (DAP) today, putting him in the running for a senior state role should the party retain power in Penang come next state elections.
The 48-year-old lawmaker topped the list of 31 contenders for the 15 slots in the Penang DAP leadership which ultimately decides on who leads the party at the state level.
Ramkarpal, who is the Member of Parliament for Bukit Gelugor and the former Deputy Minister of Law & Institutional Reforms, garnered 1,247 votes.
Trailing him with 1,237 votes was 2024 Human Resources Minister and Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim Chee Keong.
The only other non-Chinese winner was Zairil Khir Johari (4th) and Sanisvara Nethaji Rayer Rajaji, or RSN Rayer, who came in the 15th position. Rayer is MP for Jelutong since May 2018 and earlier Penang State Legislative Assembly (ADUN) for Seri Delima from March 2008 to May 2018. (Corrected).
Ramkarpal’s elder brother Jagdeep Singh Deo did not make the cut. He is currently serving as the Penang Deputy Chief Minister and ADUN for Datuk Keramat.
The newly elected team selected Steven Sim as the Penang DAP chairman, with Ramkarpal as the deputy.
Tanjong Bunga assemblyman Zairil and former state executive councillor Yeoh Soon Hin (3rd) were made vice-chairmen. Tanjong MP Lim Hui Ying (12th), the sister of DAP chairman and former finance minister Lim Guan Eng, was reappointed as state party secretary.
In the last state elections in 2023, the combination of Pakatan Harapan (PN) Barisan Nasional (BN) own 29 of the 40 seats up for grabs.
DAP won all the 19 seats it contested, a feat it retained since 2008. Fellow PH coalition members People’s Justice Party (PKR) won 7 seats and the National Trust Party (Amanah) won one. Umno won the two seats for the BN coalition.
On the opposition side under the banner Perikatan Nasional (PN), Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) won seven seats and Bersatu four.
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Outspoken Ramkarpal Singh made deputy minister (Asia Samachar, 9 Dec 2022)
Lawmaker Jagdeep Singh Deo makes history in Penang (Asia Samachar, 9 Dec 2022)
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