Liow Tiong Lai should challenge Lim Guan Eng in Kota Melaka

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Media Statement
by Nga Kor Ming
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(Petaling Jaya, Friday) : In response to Liow Tiong Lai’s assertion that DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng is a ‘political deserter’, DAPSY challenges Liow Tiong Lai to contest in Kota Melaka in the upcoming general election.

MCA Youth Chief Liow Tiong Lai has described DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng as a ‘political deserter’ for not contesting in the by-election: “As DAP secretary general and who is now free to contest in elections, Lim can contest in Machap but he has chosen to abandon Malacca to move to Penang prior to the by-election,” said Liow.

Liow made the statement when he was asked by members of the press why he has refused to engage in a debate with me. In fact, he had accepted DAPSY’s challenge on Sunday, 25 March 2007, but later reneged.

We would like to clarify that the DAP has not decided where Lim Guan Eng will contest in the next election. And even if the party eventually decides that Lim should contest in Penang, it would not be a bed of roses. Indeed, the challenge would be greater as it would be an uphill task trying to convince Penangites that DAP is an alternative to the Gerakan government at the state level.

Following Liow’s logic, since he claims that a person is a ‘political deserter’ if he chooses to contest in a seat outside of his home state, he should contest against Lim Guan Eng in Kota Melaka in the next general election as Malacca is Liow’s home state.

In fact, if Liow’s logic is accepted wisdom in MCA, party president Ong Ka Ting can be labelled as another ‘political deserter’ since he ‘ran away’ from Perak to contest in a Malay-majority seat in Johore!

(30/3/2007)