Bukit Gantang By-Election Campaign/ 为武吉干当助选

On the 30^th March morning, I arrived in Simpang, a Chinese new village in the constituency of Bukit Gantang. Accompanied by BN candidate Ismail, the MCA Bukit Gantang division chief Datuk Ho Cheng Wang, the former MP and Ketua Wanita Gerakan Datuk Tan Lian Hoe, we started our door-to-door campaign.

Simpang is a prosperous Chinese new village, which is filled with a very busy market and a lot of hawkers. We made our usual rounds of introducing our candidate. I am surprised that almost all the residents and hawkers recognize me and call me in full name. Majority is friendly but some obviously have no warmth in their response to our request to vote for BN.

During our round, we met with PKR and DAP members, mostly young and middle aged Chinese men and women. It was a friendly encounter with exchange of pleasantry.

I was disappointed that the candidate and the MCA and UMNO members who follow us did not bring in a lot of campaign materials. In this respect, the PR group did a better job, at least in campaign materials, which were devoted to criticizing both the state and federal government. Somehow, BN have not done enough to counter a lot of these allegations in written form. Over a period of time, some of these allegations will be made to appear to be the truth. There is this famous saying that ‘if you repeat your lie often enough, it do not become a lie anymore’.

BN machinery needs to brush up in campaign materials. We must not forget that PR after its victory is in high spirit. It now has more motivated members and more resources in waging this election war. From the banners, party flags, t-shirts and badges, it is obvious that PR today have resources that can match BN.

In Bukit Gantang, BN will be facing an uphill battle. Here, we are facing a candidate who is a former MB of Perak. Although he is only MB for 1 year, but the controversy surrounding the fall of the Perak state government have generated so much of interest that he became a well-known personality over a night. Apparently, he is also a popular figure and some command of Chinese dialect and mandarin that he possesses have been also of great help.

I am disappointed that he chose to avoid the press. I can understand how some of the press treats opposition members. One must not also forget how the press selectively treats people from BN. The best is to tolerate them and regard it as occupational hazards. I too, have personal problem with one English media who is out to gun me down. As usual, I take it in my strike.

MCA leaders should be prepared to walk the extra mile by going door-to-door campaigning. While it is time consuming and saps your energy, it is worth the effort. That morning, we walk for 2 ½ hours. Many issues were brought up by the local residents, including a land issue of an Indian temple, which happens to be sited next to the market.

Issues brought up should be followed up so that it then could be resolved. Hence, the walkabout is not just smiling and shaking hands. It needs coordination between local, state and central leaders to effectively resolved issues that are brought up. Then only the rakyat is convinced that you do care and you are genuinely there to serve and not just a political showmanship of vote getting, but no problem solving.

I know some MCA leaders do not like my frankness when it comes to telling the truth to the voters. It’s an old habit that dies hard.

3月30日早上，我到武吉干当国会选区里的一个华人新村－新板。我和国阵候选人依斯迈、马华武吉干当区会主席拿督何章兴，及也是民政党妇女组主席的该区前国会议员拿督陈莲花开始沿户拜访。

新板是一个繁荣的华人新村，触目可见繁忙的小贩和闹市场。我们像往常一样，和选民打招呼及介绍候选人。让我再感惊讶的是，几乎所有居民及小贩对我都不感陌生，甚至喊懂我的全名。大部分居民都很友善，不过，也有一些对国阵的拜票反应冷淡。

在沿户拜票途中，我们遇到了人民公正党及民主行动党的党员，大部分是年届中年和年轻华裔男女。我们彼此友善的互相招呼及交流。

拜票过程中，我非常失望国阵候选人及助选团竟然没有携带足够的宣传品。在这方面，民联确实做得更好。他们的竞选品侧重批评州政府及联邦政府的信息。不知何故，国阵鲜少透过文字反击或驳斥民联的指控。日复一日，部分的指责将被视为事实。诚如一句名言：“重复说的谎，日久成事实。”

国阵需要在增加竞选宣传品。我们不能忽略，民联在州取胜后至今仍士气高昂。它们现有更多志气昂扬的党员，也有更多的资源逐战。从竞选布条、党旗、T 恤和徽章看来，今天的民联有足够的资源打宣传战和国阵较量。

武吉干当补选，国阵正面临一场硬战。我们的对手是霹雳州前大臣尼查。虽然他只当一年的大臣，但之前发生的霹雳政局变天争议已经让他的知名度大升，尼查几乎是一夜成名。他不仅极受欢迎，而且懂得一些华语及华人方言，这令他更占优势。

不过，我对他选择回避媒体感到失望。我可以了解一些媒体对待反对党的态度。不过同时也有特定媒体，同样以此态度对待国阵党员。容忍是最好的方法，把它视为一种职业障碍救行了！我本身也和某英文报章出现类似问题，该报章企图把我轰我下台。不过，我一如既往，懒得理会。

马华领袖应该要更勤劳出外走动及沿户拜票。虽然费时耗力但绝对值得。那天早上，在短短两小时半内，居民就向我们提出了多项地方课题，包括一间坐落新板巴刹旁的印度庙宇地契问题。

问题既已提出，我们务必要跟进才能进一步解决。沿户拜访不只是微笑和握手这么简单。我们需要相关的地方政府、州政府及中央领袖互相协调，才能有效解决问题。而选民也才相信，你是真正关心他们，真诚为他们服务，并非那种只要选票，但不会解决民生问题的政客。

我知道一些马华领袖不喜欢我如此坦率向选民讲真话。没法，这是我无法改掉的老习惯。