GEORGETOWN - DAP Secretary-General Anthony Loke Siew Fook said that the party is introducing new faces in the upcoming election while retaining some of the experienced members to strengthen DAP's presence in Penang.
Loke said that this is a normal and routine process in every election, and that it allows opportunities for new faces to serve the people.
"We believe in giving opportunities to the new faces that we have decided upon.
"We hope that this will bring a fresh perspective, and it is a process that every political party needs to undergo," he said during a press conference after announcing DAP candidates for Penang and Kedah for the state elections here today.
He stressed that DAP was willing to undergo the renewal process to ensure the party's relevance.
"If we fail to undertake this process, the party will become irrelevant. Someday, I might also be replaced, so I want to state that the party is greater than any leader.
"No leader is irreplaceable, even Lim Kit Siang will retire," he said.
On dropping certain DAP figures, such as P Ramasamy and Chong Eng as DAP candidates for the upcoming election, Loke said that the party made these considerations to provide opportunities for new candidates to serve the community.
"Some figures, like Ramasamy, have served three terms as Deputy Chief Minister, and Chong Eng has been an Assembly Member and MP since 1995.
"Hence, we felt the need to give opportunities to new faces, and that's the decision we made," he explained.
Earlier, five DAP Penang exco members were dropped from the candidate list for the upcoming election scheduled for Aug 12.
Among them were Phee Boon Poh (Environment and Welfare Exco), Chong Eng (Social Development and Non-Islamic Affairs Exco), Soon Lip Chee (Youth and Sports Exco), Yeoh Soon Hin (Tourism and Creative Industries Exco), and Deputy Chief Minister II and Human Capital Development, Education, Science, and Technology Exco, P Ramasamy.
All their seats have been filled by new candidates, except for Padang Lalang, which will be contested by Daniel Gooi Zi Sen, the incumbent for Pengkalan Kota.
Paya Terubong, which was held by Soon Hin, will be contested by former Bukit Bendera MP, Wong Hon Wai.