TELUK INTAN, May 17 — In a bid to shed its image as a predominantly Chinese party, DAP has picked a young Malay woman, Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud, as its candidate for the by-election in Teluk Intan, a Chinese-majority constituency.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng announced the candidacy of 26-year-old Dyana Sofya, who is also political secretary to party veteran Lim Kit Siang, at the DAP operation centre for the parliamentary by-election here today.

“We want to portray DAP's multi-racial philosophy, where we fight for all Malaysians,” Lim said.

“We don't want to be caught in Barisan Nasional's (BN) racial trap that is played up to maintain their hold on power,” he added.

Fresh faced and her head uncovered, Dyana Sofya told a 100-strong crowd that her candidacy proves DAP's multi-racial struggle.

She will be fighting to represent a constituency where the voter base is 42 per cent Chinese, 38 per cent Malay and 19 per cent Indian.

“The racial barrier must be destroyed so that a new Malaysia can arise,” she said.

“As a Malay-Muslim, I will surely uphold these two identities,” she said, adding that DAP defends the special position of the Malays.

Dyana  said her mother's active participation in Umno had inspired her to join politics.

“The blessings of my father and mother have helped me take on this responsibility,” she said.

At a press conference later, Dyana Sofya said she was unfazed by a smear campaign against her even before her candidacy was announced.

A picture of a bikini-clad woman purported to be her, circulated online aiming to attack her reputation as a Muslim.

Dyana said the woman in the picture is a Filipino actress.

“Because I'm a woman, they think such attacks will deter me from politics. But they were wrong. Sorry, I'm here to stay,” she said.

The Teluk Intan parliamentary seat fell  vacant after 48-year-old Seah Leong Peng lost his battle with cancer on May 1.

DAP’s Seah won the seat in the general elections last year with a 7,313 majority against Gerakan president Datuk Mah Siew Keong.

Mah is expected to run against Dyana in the by-election scheduled for May 31.