Ramasamy, Zairil the biggest casualties
Former vice-chairmen fail to make the cut to 20-member committee
GEORGE TOWN: Penang Deputy Chief Minister II Dr P. Ramasamy and state exco member Zairil Khir Johari were the biggest casualties in the state party election.
Both Dr Ramasamy and Zairil, who were former vice-chairmen, failed to make the cut to the 20-member committee after obtaining 303 votes and 328 votes respectively.
Other notable names who crashed out in the state party election were Datuk A. Thanasekharan, Jelutong MP R.S.N Rayer and Batu Kawan MP Kasthuriraani Patto.
As expected, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow secured the highest votes of 520 and was made the state party chairman.
He will be assisted by state exco member Jagdeep Singh Deo, who garnered 468 votes, the second highest in the state DAP convention here yesterday.
State executive councillor and Paya Terubong assemblyman Yeoh Soon Hin was a surprise third with 458 votes and Senator Lim Hui Ying, the state DAP secretary, won with 448 votes.
Both Dr Ramasamy and Zairil were however appointed as the vice-presidents of the party.
Hui Ying was reappointed as the secretary with Yeoh as her assis- tant. Bukit Bendera MP Wong Hon Wai was appointed as the state treasurer with former state executive councillor Datuk Danny Law as the assistant.
Earlier, Bernama reported DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng as saying the government would adopt a three-core approach in an effort to improve the country’s economy and boost investor confidence.
Lim, who is also the Finance Minister, said the three cores were “pro grow” to bring economic growth, “pro job” to create job opportunities and “pro poor” to overcome poverty.
He said the approaches had been successfully adopted by the DAP administration in Penang since 2008 and it was also currently being used to repair the country’s economy.
“We will do our best to ensure that the country’s economy is back on the right track in order to improve the quality of life for the people.
“If we can show that the economy is much better now, we do not have to worry about the next general election. We will definitely win,” he said after launching the Penang DAP convention here yesterday.