KULIM – Kavitha (not her real name) was devastated when her husband was arrested and sent to prison for a drug-related offence.
Having minimal education and four young children, she moved to live with her sister whose husband was also in prison for a similar offence.
Both sisters struggle to care for their eight children, she said, with only the RM350 that her sister earns as a factory cleaner.
“Obviously, I want to support the family by going out to work with all the 8 children under my care, and the eldest being only 11, I couldn’t go out.
“Besides, it is not like there are many job opportunities here for people like me,” she said when interviewed by Padang Serai’s BN constituency officer who was collecting information from the locals at Kulim Square flats.
Hunger forced her to take on the oldest profession in the world, and this was done in the house while the children were told to keep themselves busy or watch TV.
“I am ashamed but what else can I do?” she said as she stared ahead, refusing to make eye contact with the officer.
Job opportunities are almost non-existent, especially for the poor and those from low-income backgrounds, said Rajeswary, a mother of three, when met at the Sg Karangan pasar malam during campaigning.
“We see a lot of foreigners here, from Bangladesh, Myanmar, who work in the factories and shops.
“With a little education, our children can find jobs in bigger towns nearby because there is nothing here for them,” she said.
Lack of employment is one of the major issues that affects the people of Padang Serai besides the lack of development and opportunities.
During the 15th general election, the Padang Serai parliamentary seat made headlines when the election was postponed following Pakatan Harapan candidate M. Karupaiya’s death just two days before the election.
Karupaiya, 69, had in GE14 triumphed with a 8,813-majority, defeating MCA candidate Datuk Dr Leong Yong Kong and Mohammad Sobri Osman from PAS.
There are 133,767 eligible voters in Padang Serai, with 81,230 in the Lunas state constituency and the remaining 52,546 in the Merbau Pulas state constituency.
The voters comprise 62% Malays, 19% Indians, 17% Chinese and 0.72% others.
Barisan Nasional candidate Datuk C. Sivarraajh, who started working in the area in 2020, said he hoped to see the community uplifted with the help of the federal government.
Sivarraajh, who recently withdrew from the race to support PH candidate Mohamad Sofee Razak, said he will act as a check and balance to ensure his pledges are fulfilled as Sofee had agreed to adopt them in his own manifesto.
Despite Sivarraajh giving way to Sofee, voters might still be confused as ballots will list the following as candidates: Sofee (PH), Sivarraajh (BN), Azman Nasrudin (PN), Hamzah Abdul Rahman (Pejuang), Bakri Hashim (Warisan), and Sreanandha Rao (independent).
A walkabout in the constituency revealed many problems, such as the lack of public transportation.
One voter said they have to rely on “kereta sapu” or private taxis to move about locally.
“A one-way trip can cost us RM35 and for both ways, it will be RM70.
“Sometimes, we rather be home nursing any illness than get to the hospital because of the cost of travelling,” said one voter who declined to be named.
According to the Statistics Department’s 2019 report, while the incidence of poverty nationwide stood at 5.6%, it was 9.5% for Padang Serai, 7.8% for Lunas and 12.1% for Merbau Pulas.
Whoever takes the Padang Serai seat tomorrow should remember that winning the seat is only half the battle.
The real struggle will be in ensuring the community is uplifted with improved living conditions and in addressing poverty as well as the lack of employment, opportunities and youth development.
The task ahead may be tough, but Padang Serai constituents hope that the winner can put the welfare and well-being of the people above national or political interests. – The Vibes, December 6, 2022
