KUALA LUMPUR (March 14): The upcoming Democratic Action Party (DAP) polls may not have the most crowded field for the central executive committee's (CEC) posts. However, it has drawn keen attention as internal rifts have abruptly escalated.

Lim Guan Eng, who held the party’s most powerful position as secretary general for 18 years and is now national chairman, is at the centre of the storm. A faction within the party is reportedly working to wrest control of the CEC.

Party insiders and local Chinese-language media have dubbed the infighting the “deity send-off,” an allusion to Guan Eng’s infamous nickname, Tokong (deity), given by his rivals when he was Penang chief minister, due to what his detractors call his arrogance and authoritarian streak.

Signalling the pressure on Guan Eng is a cryptic social media post by Nga Kor Ming, the national vice-chairman and perceived de facto number two, showing Nga dining with Anthony Loke, the current party secretary general, during the recent Chinese New Year celebration.

With Loke and Nga clearly expected to retain their positions in the CEC and further consolidate their influence, the post hinted at forging a "golden decade" — a move widely seen as an attempt to curb the influence of the so-called "Lim dynasty."

The "Lim dynasty" is an oft-used label by critics in referring to the decades-long control that Guan Eng and his father, Kit Siang, have had over the party. Kit Siang served as DAP’s secretary general from 1969 until 1999, before becoming national chairman until 2004. Guan Eng took over as secretary general in 2004 and held the post until 2022.

Although Kit Siang officially retired from politics in 2022, the rise of Hui Ying, Guan Eng’s sister and the current deputy finance minister, have fuelled concerns over the family's continued dominance of the party.

The DAP polls, set for March 16, will see 70 candidates contesting for 30 seats in the CEC, the party’s top decision-making body.

The DAP election is a two-tier process. Party members do not vote directly; instead, party branches choose delegates who vote for candidates vying for posts in the CEC.

The top 30 vote-winners will secure a three-year term in the CEC, which convenes internally to elect office bearers, including the secretary general.

Of the 30 elected CEC members, at least nine must be women, as required by the party’s constitution. Additionally, the CEC can co-opt 10 additional members, forming a 40-member lineup.

In the run-up to the party polls, an incident in Penang — a DAP stronghold state — has revealed deeper divisions within the party.

A close aide of Guan Eng was seen berating Penang DAP chief Steven Sim at the end of an appreciation dinner in honour of Kit Siang in February. In a viral video, the man was heard yelling in Hokkien, calling Sim a "traitor."

Although Sim quickly downplayed the incident as a "storm in a teacup" and received an apology from Guan Eng’s aide, the episode has exposed a rift within the party’s state chapter.

More importantly, it signals that Guan Eng no longer holds the strong influence he once had in Penang during his tenure as chief minister from 2008 to 2018.

The divide is believed to stem from tensions between Guan Eng and incumbent Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow over candidate selection for the 2023 Penang election.

Guan Eng and Chow have also clashed openly on several issues, including water supply management and state finances, leading to growing frustration among party members.

Speculation arose during the Penang DAP election last year that Guan Eng attempted to install his sister, Hui Ying, as state chairperson to pave the way for her to become the next Penang chief minister, further stirring unease among grassroots members and triggering a backlash.

Eventually, with support from Loke, Sim was elected as Penang DAP chief, while Hui Ying suffered a significant drop in votes but managed to retain her position as state party secretary.

As a result, Sim — once seen as a close ally of the Lim family — has fallen out with Guan Eng. Local media have reported that poison-pen letters have been circulating among delegates nationwide ahead of the national election, further exposing the escalating undercurrents within the party.

Just one week before the party polls, local media reported that Loke met with Guan Eng with an offer of a deal — give up the chairmanship but stay on in the CEC.

When approached, Loke confirmed his meeting with Guan Eng but remained coy about the details, merely stating that it was normal for them to discuss party matters.

Guan Eng, known for his strong character, is unlikely to easily succumb to pressure and seen to be scrambling to shore up support among party delegates. The chairmanship aside, another prize is to secure a place in the party's five-member committee.

The five-member committee is DAP’s core leadership body responsible for selecting election candidates, though the panel is not formally stipulated in the party constitution.

Apart from Guan Eng, the other four members are Loke, Nga, deputy chairman Gobind Singh Deo and vice-chairman M Kulasegaran.

All said, this election is shaping up to be an uphill battle for Guan Eng. His position has been further weakened by several party veterans — including Kulasegaran, Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai, Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun and former Penang state executive councillor Phee Boon Poh — opting not to contest, citing the need for fresh leadership.

“The more pertinent issue is perhaps his (Guan Eng's) vote ranking among the elected CEC members," said Dr Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA).

"If Guan Eng attains a higher vote ranking, then it is more persuasive for him to retain the party chairmanship," Oh told The Edge.

With Guan Eng at risk of losing the national chairman's post, many party delegates are voicing their thoughts about his possible successor.

Among the prospective candidates are Gobind, Chow and Nga, with Gobind touted as the strongest contender as he strives to make a comeback after a surprising setback in last year’s Selangor DAP election.

Gobind unexpectedly failed to secure a Selangor state committee seat, leading to the loss of his state chairmanship. However, his continued presence in the national leadership could be crucial for DAP to strengthen its image as a multi-racial party.

Gobind’s lower profile and less confrontational approach suggests a more collegial leadership style compared to Guan Eng’s hard-nosed manner. This shift is also seen as vital as DAP seeks to expand its appeal beyond its traditional Chinese and Indian support base to attract more Malay voters.

DAP currently holds 40 out of 222 seats in the lower house of Parliament, making it a key component of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government.

The new DAP CEC lineup is expected to lead the party through several upcoming state elections, including those in Sabah, Sarawak, Melak, and Johor, as well as the highly anticipated 16th General Election.

Although these tensions may appear unseemly, SIIA’s Oh noted that the party polls are unlikely to cause a major split, as DAP has survived many such fierce internal power struggles and emerged unscathed and even stronger.

“Also, there is no viable alternative for DAP supporters,” Oh added.