By CAMERON LUCADOU-WELLS
THE Saigon Square controversy has split Greater Dandenong Labor incumbent councillors Youhorn Chea and Loi Truong into two rival teams in this month’s council election.
The Lightwood Ward colleagues clashed in a Greater Dandenong Council meeting in April over the naming of a Springvale public square.
Cr Truong strongly backed the name Saigon Square, which was overwhelmingly supported in a public consultation conducted by the council.
Cr Chea, backed by the majority of councillors, voted down the move, causing an uproar in the Vietnamese community.
Last week, Cr Chea indicated he’d preference ALP members Sean O’Reilly and Sri Samy ahead of Cr Truong in Lightwood Ward. ‘Saigon Square’ campaign manager Trung Doan expected Cr Truong and ALP member Dang Quach to exchange preferences.
“If the ALP rules didn’t exist, it would have been in the best interests of the community that Loi Truong would preference Youhorn Chea seventh [last].”
It’s almost certain the three elected councillors for Lightwood in the forthcoming election will be ALP members — whether supportive of Cr Chea or Cr Truong. The ward is a crammed Labor ticket; six of the seven candidates are confirmed ALP members.
Cr Chea said 1000 of his preference votes had helped elect Cr Truong in the 2008 election.
But Cr Truong said: “I think I’m OK this time. The important thing is the residents know the name Saigon Square had the backing of 9000 people. Youhorn Chea rejected it because he’s Cambodian.”
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