KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 70 candidates will contest for 30 seats in the DAP Central Executive Committee (CEC) at the party's 18th national congress, which will be held at the Ideal Convention Centre Shah Alam (IDCC) on March 16.

Among the key names in the official candidate list announced today are secretary-general Anthony Loke, national chairman Lim Guan Eng, Gobind Singh Deo, Ramkarpal Singh, Nga Kor Ming, Chow Kon Yeow, Steven Sim and Chong Chieng Jen.

The prominent women candidates include Hannah Yeoh, Teresa Kok, Teo Nie Ching, Yeo Bee Yin, Young Syefura Othman, Lim Hui Ying, Vivian Wong, Wong Shu Qi and Alice Lau.

DAP national organising secretary Steven Sim said 4,203 delegates from 1,650 branches are eligible to vote at the congress, which is expected to be attended by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in his capacity as Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman.

He added that all candidates have been officially notified via letter and urged them to remain committed to their responsibilities to the party and the people.

"This election will be conducted and monitored by an independent third party, as in previous years.

"This is an international audit firm, which will act as the election commission for this process. Therefore, we are confident that the CEC election will be clean, fair and transparent," he said at a press conference at the DAP headquarters here today.

Sim said that aside from the Prime Minister, DAP has also invited several other top PH leaders, including Amanah president Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu and United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (UPKO) president Datuk Ewon Benedick.

He noted that no candidate was disqualified but a few voluntarily withdrew from the race.

They include vice-chairman M. Kulasegaran and Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun, who had previously announced their decision not to contest to make way for the younger generation to lead the party.

-- BERNAMA