Malaysia's DAP election heats up, with Lim Guan Eng's position at risk

All eyes on whether siblings will fight to be party leader in March 16 polls

- Lu Wei Hoong

PENANG - The birthday bash in Penang of Malaysia's stalwart politician Lim Kit Siang, who is 84 and now with the double titles of Tan Sri and Datuk Seri Utama, is significant for a number of reasons.

The appreciation ceremony on Feb 15 was held at Han Chiang High School. It was here on March 6, 2008, that 30,000 people – a huge number in local politics – attended an election rally by the then opposition Democratic Action Party (DAP) which sparked widespread chatter that Malaysia was on the cusp of a major political change.

Two days later on March 8, the DAP won power in the Penang state elections. Mr Lim Kit Siang's eldest son, Lim Guan Eng, became the party's first head of a state government. The junior Lim has since gone on to become federal finance minister and is now DAP's national chairman.

Last weekend at the high school, the chatter revolved around a different battle, this time involving Lim, 64, and his sister, Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying, 61.

Among the questions were: Will Lim retain the DAP chairmanship at the party election in March, as he is widely seen as having overstayed his welcome? Or will he step aside to ensure that Ms Lim won't be dragged down in a battle?

The party's kerfuffle is being closely watched, as the DAP has the most seats (40) in Parliament among Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's multi-coalition government. What happens in the DAP is also of deep interest to Malaysia's Chinese community, which gave the party 90 per cent of its vote in the 2022 general election.

The internal polls on March 16 will likely decide whether the Lim family remains the most influential in both the party and its stronghold Penang.