Candidates turn singers for a night

By ANDREA FILMER

WHEN we mix together all our cultures, the world is ours.

That was the message to Malaysians from incumbent Pengkalan Kota assemblyman Lee Hack Teik who was invited to the Sri Maha Sakthi Muneeswarar Jalbhavani Devasthanam Hindu temple on Jalan Pengkalan Weld in Penang on Tuesday.

Joined by first-time candidate Khaw Veon Szu who is contesting the Tanjung parliamentary seat, Lee was honoured and garlanded by members of the Simpang Tiga MIC division.

The duo received blessings from the temple priest before lighting joss-sticks at several Buddhist and Taoist shrines and altars nearby.

“We are lucky that in Malaysia we have so many Gods who take care of us all,” said Lee who is defending the Pengkalan Kota seat which he has held since 1995.


Lee (left) and Khaw belting out a Kokkien song during their visit to Pengkalan Kota.
The grassroots leader also lived up to his saying “You okay, I okay, We karaoke!” as he belted out well-known Hokkien and Mandarin songs like Shi Jie Di Yi Deng (The Best in The World) to the enjoyment of the crowd near the temple.

Lee later opened the new Simpang Tiga MIC operations centre.

In Bukit Mertajam, DAP candidates also belted out songs during a ceramah on Tuesday night to entertain the audience.

Incumbent Bukit Mertajam MP Chong Eng and Berapit candidate Ong Kok Fooi sang famous Mandarin medleys from the 1950s and 1960s at the ceramah held at Permatang Tinggi.

Ong sang Xiang Si He Bian (River of Memory) at the end of her speech which focused on education issues and the crime rate.

“I want to tell the audience not to forget me,” said Ong who is from Sungai Petani.

Chong Eng sang Sally Yeh’s Xiao Sa Zhou Yi Hui (Taking a Stroll) when plastic containers were passed around to collect funds for the DAP campaign trail.

“We wanted to entertain the audience and not just have a very serious political talk,” she explained after the ceramah.

Lee’s catchy slogan for the polls

SAMSENG po pi- that is the catchy Hokkien slogan Pengkalan Kota incumbent assemblyman Lee Hack Teik is changing these days.

The Barisan Nasional candidate will be serving his fourth term as an elected representative if he can successfully defend the state seat he has held for more than 12 years.

Lee, who is a popular figure among the predominantly Chinese voters, is known for his funny quips and slogans.

In 2004, his ang koo lak liap (half dozen red tortoise-shaped gluti-nous rice cakes in Hokkien) slogan (or an je le yue in Mandarin which means “harmonious life, flourish- ing career”) was among the most memorable election slogans among Hokkien-speaking Penangites.

This time around, he has coined an equally interesting catchphrase to win them over.


Lee being garlanded by MIC Simpang Tiga operations centre chairman S. Rajan (left).
“In Hokkien, samseng po pi means ‘gangster blessing.’ The slogan refers to ‘gangsters’ (samseng) turning over a new leaf, so that they can become a blessing (po pi) to those around them!

“In Mandarin, it is pronounced Sansing Pau Si which means ‘the Three Immortals – Hock, Lok, Siu (Health, Wealth and Prosperity) bring good news’ he laughed.

“We have many development projects that will boost the local economy and attract more people to come live here in the inner city.

“Since the repeal of the Rent Control Act in 2000, many have moved out of the constituency. In 2004, there were 20,785 voters in Pengkalan Kota. The number has fallen to 19,797.

“Work will start on a RM2.4 bil public transportation hub for express buses, taxis and an LRT terminal at Prangin Estate by the end of the year; the Weld Quay clan jetties are being spruced up and rehabilitated; 2,500 low cost flat units will be built at Gat Lebuh Noordin by the end of 2009; Swettenham Pier is being redeveloped; and there is more in the pipeline.

“These projects will definitely generate more business for the community,” said Lee who is banking on his strong service record to bring him through the general election.

Lee, who had also distributed 600 copies of a VCD report card earlier this month, said cooperation with the Barisan Government had enabled him to serve Pengkalan Kota residents well.

Komtar assemblyman Datuk Lim Gim Soon is 60 this year but believes he still has much to give.

“Experience will definitely help in the race. I have been in the company of Komtar residents everyday for years and people are looking for a representative who will be with them to help solve their problems.” said Lim, who is contesting in his final election.

Affordable housing and business opportunities are currently the most pressing issues in Tanjung, Lim added.

“Plans, which include boosting tourism and building about 10,000 low cost houses, are already underway to attract people back into the inner city,” he said.

“MCA's success in defending the state seats for so many years boils down to grassroots support and knowing what the people want. My constituents know that they can call me at any hour and I will respond.

“Komtar voters want to see more business being generated and this is something Barisan is working very hard on it.

“Flash floods are no longer a pro-blem here. Now our focus is on providing affordable housing for the hardcore poor and turning Komtar into a thriving business centre for George Town,” he said, adding that Chowrasta Market would be the heart of the project.

“A Taiwanese and local entrepre-neur has submitted a proposal to refurbish and manage the building. If approved by the Penang Municipal Council, the building will house a market, 24-hour eateries, shops lots, offices and entertainment outlets which will generate a lot of activity in the area.

“Within the next five years, Penang Road will be transformed into a shopping district like Singapore’s famous Orchard Road.

“Upgrading works on the Komtar building has started. We are now looking to beautify and clean up the entire Macalister Road area where more that 500 hawkers operate.

“Naturally, once the economy picks up, people will start coming back to Tanjung,” he said, adding that safety in the constituency has improved.

BN men say a little prayer

United in prayer: BN candidates (from left) Lim Gim Soon, Teng Chang Yeow, Khaw Veon Szu and Lee Hack Teik stopping by the Goddess of Mercy Temple in George Town before submitting their nomination papers at Dewan Sri Pinang on Sunday.

PENANG: With a tough battle ahead of them, several Barisan Nasional candidates here headed for temples to seek divine blessing before making their way to nomination centres yesterday.

In Tanjung, incumbents Lee Hack Teik (Pengkalan Kota), Lim Gim Soon (Komtar), Teng Chang Yeow (Padang Kota) and new face Khaw Veon Szu (Tanjung) turned up at the Goddess of Mercy temple to offer prayers before submitting their nomination papers at Dewan Sri Pinang.

Lee, 56, said that while Goddess of Mercy Kuan Yin took care of Tanjung, “Barisan also wanted security, peace, harmony and progress for the inner city.”

About the same time, the three Bukit Gelugor MCA candidates – Datuk Koay Kar Huah (Bukit Gelugor parliamentary seat), Loh Nam Hooi (Seri Delima state seat) and Koh Wan Leong (Paya Terubong state seat) – paid homage to deities at the Seri Veerama Kaliamman Devasthanam Temple in Gelugor.

Penang is set to be the hottest spot this general election with the Opposition setting its sights on at least eight of the 13 parliamentary seats and half of the 40 state seats.

This time, three-cornered fights will take place for the Jelutong parliamentary seat and the Datuk Keramat, Sungai Pinang and Prai state seats. The remaining 12 parliamentary and 37 state seats will see straight fights between the Barisan Nasional candidates and opponents from DAP, PKR and PAS.

Earlier, a DAP branch treasurer from Selangor sprang a surprise when he turned up as an independent candidate for the Jelutong parliamentary and Sungai Pinang state seats.

Company director Badrul Zaman P.S. Md Zakariah, 57, of the party’s Ehsan branch, said he expected to be suspended or sacked.

The anticipated three-way fight in Kepala Batas fizzled out when Parti Mahasiswa Negara candidate Zainol Faqar Yaacop, 24, failed to submit his nomination papers on time at Dewan Millennium.

In Bagan, where DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng is taking on a new MCA face, Song Choy Leng, it was like a big football match day at the nomination centre with plenty of vocal support and banners.

DAP national chairman Karpal Singh was carried up the stairs in his wheelchair to the nomination centre at the SM Chung Hwa Confucian in Island Park. Karpal Singh, who is defending his Bukit Gelugor parliamentary seat, will face MCA’s Datuk Koay Kar Huah.

Banking on ‘local boy’ status

PENGKALAN Kota candidate Lee Hack Teik and Tanjung parliamentary candidate Khaw Veon Szu are banking on their “local boy” status to win over their constituents.

Speaking at a ceramah at Gat Lebuh Sandilands on Monday night, the duo turned nostalgic talking about their childhood growing up in George Town inner city.

Lee, 56, recalled the days he used to run around the predominantly Chinese neighbourhood in shorts and how as an adult, he rode around on his weather beaten kap chai (Honda Cub).

“All of you here know me since I was a boy. And since I was elected as an assemblyman, you have also seen this fat man running around checking drains and attending temple ceremonies.


Lee (second right) distributing his report card to Weld Quay residents. Looking on is Tanjung candidate Khaw Veon Sze (third right).
“I live in Air Itam but Pengkalan Kota is my home because I am always here. When there is no electricity or water or when there are potholes and clogged drains, you call me even before you call the relevant authorities,” he said, adding that he understood the needs of the community because he was part of it.

“My father was born here so I really love this place. Give me another chance to work for you,” he said, warning the people against falling for the Opposition’s propaganda.

“They will just get you into trouble. They keep asking you to get rid of Barisan Nasional but why? This is a caring government. We have so many temples and shrines in Pengkalan Kota.

“The grandest Thnee Kong Seh (Jade Emperor’s birthday) and Phor Tor (Hungry Ghost Festival) and Kew Ong Yeah (Nine Emperor Gods) festivals in the country are celebrated at our waterfront settlement here.

“We have freedom to practise our religion and culture here.

“SRJK (C) Beng Teik Pusat in Lebuh Katz used to have only eight students but instead of closing it down, Barisan component parties like MCA and Gerakan worked tirelessly to raise funds and relocate the school to Bukit Mertajam,” he said, adding that with a stronger Chinese representation in the government, even more could be done.

Khaw, a first time candidate, said he lived in Lebuh Pantai for 28 years.

The 37-year-old lawyer and a former Penang Municipal Councillor, pledged to get the necessary funding for community projects to further improve living conditions in the area, if elected.

Earlier, during a visit to Lee’s election operations centre, MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy urged voters to continue supporting Lee because he was “among the party’s best” grassroots leaders in the country.

“He is very hardworking and down-to-earth and has been serving the constituents diligently since the day he was elected. That is why the MCA election machinery is well-oiled and running smoothly,’’ he said.