Sim brushes off CM talk, will focus on grassroots first

 

FMT:

Sim brushes off CM talk,

will focus on grassroots

first

Predeep Nambiar

-22 Sep 2024, 08:20 PM

Special task force to be formed to build ties with civil society organisations and connect with people on the ground.

11

Shares

Total Views: 1,675

New Penang DAP chairman Steven Sim in cheerful mood at the state party convention today in Bayan Baru, Penang. (Johnshen Lee pic)

GEORGE TOWN: 

New Penang DAP chairman Steven Sim has brushed aside talk about the chief minister’s position, saying he wanted to focus on reaching out to the people.

Speaking after the new state party leadership was announced, Sim said a special task force will be established to connect with civil society organisations to hear more from people at ground level.

The task force will be headed by deputy chairman Ramkarpal Singh, assisted by vice-chairmen Zairil Khir Johari and Yeoh Soon Hin.

Sim said he plans to engage more with grassroots members and strengthen the party’s presence, particularly among Penang’s youth.

He said he and the newly appointed committee will visit DAP’s parliamentary liaison committees across the state to gather input from the ground and recruit new members.

When asked if he was ready to be the next Penang chief minister, Sim said: 

All that we can discuss later. We must make sure we win the next elections, establish the government together.

The current chief minister is former state chairman Chow Kon Yeow, who did not contest the party elections because he is now in his second and final term as chief minister.

Chow had been Penang DAP chairman for two decades.

After the party elections today, Sim called for unity, urging fellow members to close ranks and to focus on service to the people.

He said he was thankful to the party delegates for their trust in the new committee and thanked Chow for his exemplary service to the party and the people of Penang.

This new Penang DAP state committee is a team of unity. I urge all Penang DAP members to close ranks and stand as a strong Penang DAP team for the benefit of the people and the party,

 Sim said.

He said the new team under his leadership will continue with the party’s mission, supporting the state government led by Chow and the federal government led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Sim was named Penang DAP chairman by the 15 members of the state party leadership elected by delegates to the Penang DAP convention in Bayan Baru today.