With just six days before Selangor DAP goes to the polls, the team backed by secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has rallied in a show of force.

Dubbed the Unity Team, it comprises 13 candidates led by state exco Teresa Kok, for the party’s state-level leadership elections to be held on Sunday.

All 13, who were formally unveiled at a dinner in Serdang last night, were tacitly endorsed by Lim by virtue of his presence at the event.

NONE They include state chairperson Ean Yong Hian Wah, his deputy Tony Pua, vice-chairperson Charles Santiago, state secretary Lau Weng San, publicity chief Tiew Way Keng, assistant organising secretary Teo Nie Ching, political education bureau chief Lee Kee Hiong, Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo, Kajang municipal councillor ST Chandra Mohan and Shah Alam city councillor V Ganabatirau.

Two other members - treasurer Hannah Yeoh and assistant publicity secretary Jenice Lee - did not attend they are abroad.

The individuals will be among 50 candidates running for the 15 central committee seats in Selangor.

About 1,000 paying members of the public attended the dinner and fundraiser for the party's Serdang service centre, cheering the team on as it was presented.

This was a symbolic move to publicly announce the team so that it will be well received, because its rivals - dubbed the Justice Reform Group - largely moves in the shadows.

Teng mounts major challenge

The Justice Reform Group is purportedly led by central committee member Teng Chang Khim, who poses the biggest threat to Lim's leadership. However, Teng has denied being part of the group.

Teng and his team have been actively campaigning over the past few weeks to convince the 1,008 delegates that there is a need for a change in leadership.

With his charisma and leadership qualities, Teng draws sympathy from the grassroots because he has been consistently sidelined by the party leadership due to his dissenting views.

With the Sunday polls clearly on their minds, Unity Team candidates chose not to touch on the party polls in their speeches last night.

NONE Even Lim refused to broach the issue, instead delivering a speech on the need for the party to work hard to achieving Pakatan Rakyat's goal to conquer Putrajaya.

It was left to Chong Hoon Ming, who chaired the dinner organising committee, to take pot shots at Teng's group.

"As we prepare ourselves for our journey to Putrajaya, a small group is causing a nuisance in the shadows... During the party polls, they will take advantage of the situation,” he said.

"Why are they causing problems? I believe that they are afraid that they will lose in the party polls. If there are people causing problems in the party, we are falling into the enemy's trap.”

Chong also declared support for the Unity Team on behalf of six divisions in Serdang.

Liu shows up

The unexpected appearance of central committee member Ronnie Liu caused much comment among members of the media who were covering the event.

NONE Liu is said to be unwanted by the Unity Team because of his alleged involvement in the scandal over the issuance of dodgy recommendation letters for state contracts.

He was seated at the VIP table but his name was not on the VIP list given to the media and those attending the dinner.

Liu, a Lim loyalist, has been de facto boss of Selangor DAP but must now fight to ensure that he makes it into the list of 15 committee members or he will almost certainly lose his exco post in the Selangor cabinet.

Although ostracised by the Lim faction, he is unlikely to form an alliance with Teng, whom he has antagonised for years.