GEORGE TOWN – Warisan has accused Pakatan Harapan (PH) of using state constituencies in the Bayan Baru parliamentary area as places for “rent seekers” to contest in.
Its Penang chairman Jeff Ooi Chuan Aun said that such areas have become neglected because the “rent seekers” only operate for a single term, during which time the areas get neglected such that problems like major flash floods and traffic congestion pile up there.
Citing the Pantai Jerejak and Batu Uban state constituencies as examples, he said that both seats only have one-term representation by “outsiders”.
Pantai Jerejak has PKR secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail as its current assembly rep.
Previously, it was former Penang deputy chief minister Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon, originally from Johor, who was among nine PKR members to later defect to Perikatan Nasional (PN).
“Where are they today? They are not even on Penang ground campaigning, yet they are the Pantai Jerejak representatives. Elect a candidate who serves the constituency, not someone who is a rent seeker and not even from Penang,” Ooi told The Vibes.
Just because PH is super confident in Penang, the ruling coalition should not take the constituents for granted, and they should serve and reside in the state, he said.
Similarly, Ooi pointed out that the Batu Uban constituency has had PKR assemblymen who served one term from S. Raveentharan (2008 to 2013) to Dr T. Jayabalan (2013 to 2018) and now A. Kumaresan (since 2018).
“What are they able to deliver if they are just for one term? The reality is that the people need an efficient assemblyman, not a party representative. PKR exploits the voters by placing rent seekers in the Bayan Baru parliamentary constituency.”
Ooi is a former two-term MP for Jelutong, which he had held when he was with DAP.
Ooi is locked in a six-cornered fight with Bayan Baru’s incumbent parliamentarian Sim Tze Tzin from PH, Saw Yee Fung (Barisan Nasional), Oh Tong Keong (Perikatan Nasional), Ravinder Singh (PRM) and independent Kan Chee Yuen.
Ravinder is the oldest candidate in Penang at age of 80 whereas Saw is among the youngest at 33.
Independent says he is truly ‘independent’
Meanwhile, Kan said to The Vibes that he is not a “crony” of any major political party in this election; he truly wants to make a change as an independent.
“I know people assume that I am a crony of major parties, but every major party is contesting in Bayan Baru. So how can I be a stooge of one?” he said.
Kan said that he is campaigning on the need to wriggle away from party dominance to one where the election is determined by the credibility and capabilities of the candidates.
“For once, let the normal average person win in an election instead of super big parties who trampled on us all,” said Kan, who is a St Xavier’s Institution alumnus.
He has unveiled a manifesto and plans to develop Pulau Jerejak, if elected, into the world’s first wellness island resort where all commercial and community activities are aimed at improving the immunity and fitness of the Penang people.
In the Jelutong parliamentary constituency, Warisan candidate Martin Lim Huat Poh, another St Xavier’s Institution’s old boy, hopes to convince voters that the state needs federal support if it wants to realise goals such as improving the transport infrastructure.
He also pledges to address the waste dump site here, which remains an eye sore for decades and also threatens the surrounding environment with possible waste discharge.
Lim is facing off against the incumbent R.S.N. Rayer of PH, Datuk Baljit Singh (PN), Koh Swe Yong (PRM), Datuk T. Loganathan of BN, and independent Yacoob Noor. – The Vibes, November 13, 2022
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