'Don't cheat Hulu Selangor voters...'
S PathmawathyPublished: Apr 12, 2010 8:57 AM | Updated: Apr 13, 2010 6:17 AM
“Whatever is offered to us in Hulu Selangor in the battle for votes, we still have to make our own living,” mused Jamil Mohd Yusof who runs a grocery shop in Ladang Kerling.
The longtime Umno member, and a voter since the first election in 1959, explained that those who complain about the lack of development or progress are people who do not work hard enough.
“Whatever is offered to us in Hulu Selangor in the battle for votes, we still have to make our own living,” mused Jamil Mohd Yusof who runs a grocery shop in Ladang Kerling.
The longtime Umno member, and a voter since the first election in 1959, explained that those who complain about the lack of development or progress are people who do not work hard enough.
“I am at my shop from morning to evening but my wife and I also rear about 20 chickens and that helps with our income,” he said contrasting his situation with that of less diligent locals.
“If it rains, locals don’t go out to tap the trees, unlike workers from India…if you want to learn about life you should learn from them. What we have is enough for us here in the estate.”
Jamil, 71, has lived in Ladang Kerling for almost 43 years and speaks fluent Tamil and Malayalam. He said the older generation on estates still have a soft spot for Barisan Nasional.
He acknowledged, though, that Pakatan Rakyat has also done its share to make their life more comfortable.
“(G) Palanivel (right) is a good man. But he was busy with a lot of work when he was the MP. He cannot oversee everything and humans are never satisfied, no matter how much is given to them.”
Palanivel, the Hulu Selangor MIC head, remains the sole party pick to contest the polls but speculation is rife that his protégé, MIC Youth deputy chief V Mugilan, is also being considered.
Jamil said he has known Mugilan since childhood as the latter is from Ladang Kerling, but diplomatically said that Palanivel - who had held the constituency for four terms since 1990 - is no less significant a candidate.
Ladang Kerling is one of 17 estates in the parliamentary constituency. These supply the bulk of Malay and Indian voters.
‘Stay out, Palanivel’
Some among the younger generation of Chinese voters in the new village of Kampung Chandang, Batang Kali, appear to have set their minds against any BN candidate.
The Chinese make up 26.3 percent (16,964) of the 64,500 registered voters and are mainly based in 13 new villages set up during the communist insurgency 50 years ago.
Their main predicament is that they do not hold titles to the land, an issue that the Selangor government has been trying to resolve quickly since Pakatan came to power in 2008.
A shopkeeper, who only wanted to be named as Lim, did not hold back his bitterness.
“If Palanivel visits this area, the people will spit at him. We used to see him only every five years and then he disappeared… he made many promises but did not keep them. His were only empty words,” said Lim, who is in his late 30s.
“You can lie to people once, but you can’t lie to us twice. Don’t cheat the people… .”
Now an ardent PKR supporter, Lim lauds the state government for various measures it has implemented.
“Under Pakatan, water supply is free of charge, the family of a deceased member is granted RM2,500, and even newborn children benefit,” he said.
“Whatever goodies are given out (by either coalition) we will take. But we will vote wisely and for those who have helped us.”
Lim said his discontent is only with Palanivel and that it does not extend to former Selangor menteri besar Muhammad Muhammad Taib, whose tenure spanned 1986-1997.
A long-time resident named Hau said his vote is for BN, regardless of the candidate.
“MIC, Umno, all the same under 1Malaysia,” he said.
‘BN is like family’
Rubber tapper R Saroja, 41, from Ladang Sungai Jernih, sang the familiar tune that BN should continue to helm the country, but with a strong opposition in place.
“We can scold (BN) and complain all we want, or even fight with them, but the coalition is like our parents. You wouldn’t disown your family members, would you?” she said.
“Having Pakatan as an opposition has been good for us, as we benefit from its programmes but I think BN has learnt its lesson and will look after the people.”
Saroja, who runs a small provision shop after her tapping duties, was despondent about poor business over the past decade, as well as inadequate public transportation.
“People moving in and out of the estate need their own vehicle. Sometimes we are stranded for hours until we get a ride with a passer-by,” she said.
Asked to choose between Mugilan (right) and Palanivel, she replied: “We need a candidate who can work. We have seen Palanivel around the area quite often. Maybe he will keep his promises if he wins this time.”
The Hulu Selangor by-election will be held on April 25, following nominations on April 17. The seat was vacated by the death of Pakatan’s Dr Zainal Abidin Ahmad, who won by 198 votes in 2008.
The longtime Umno member, and a voter since the first election in 1959, explained that those who complain about the lack of development or progress are people who do not work hard enough.
“I am at my shop from morning to evening but my wife and I also rear about 20 chickens and that helps with our income,” he said contrasting his situation with that of less diligent locals.“If it rains, locals don’t go out to tap the trees, unlike workers from India…if you want to learn about life you should learn from them. What we have is enough for us here in the estate.”
Jamil, 71, has lived in Ladang Kerling for almost 43 years and speaks fluent Tamil and Malayalam. He said the older generation on estates still have a soft spot for Barisan Nasional.
He acknowledged, though, that Pakatan Rakyat has also done its share to make their life more comfortable.
“(G) Palanivel (right) is a good man. But he was busy with a lot of work when he was the MP. He cannot oversee everything and humans are never satisfied, no matter how much is given to them.”Palanivel, the Hulu Selangor MIC head, remains the sole party pick to contest the polls but speculation is rife that his protégé, MIC Youth deputy chief V Mugilan, is also being considered.
Jamil said he has known Mugilan since childhood as the latter is from Ladang Kerling, but diplomatically said that Palanivel - who had held the constituency for four terms since 1990 - is no less significant a candidate.
Ladang Kerling is one of 17 estates in the parliamentary constituency. These supply the bulk of Malay and Indian voters.
‘Stay out, Palanivel’
Some among the younger generation of Chinese voters in the new village of Kampung Chandang, Batang Kali, appear to have set their minds against any BN candidate.
The Chinese make up 26.3 percent (16,964) of the 64,500 registered voters and are mainly based in 13 new villages set up during the communist insurgency 50 years ago.
Their main predicament is that they do not hold titles to the land, an issue that the Selangor government has been trying to resolve quickly since Pakatan came to power in 2008.
A shopkeeper, who only wanted to be named as Lim, did not hold back his bitterness.
“If Palanivel visits this area, the people will spit at him. We used to see him only every five years and then he disappeared… he made many promises but did not keep them. His were only empty words,” said Lim, who is in his late 30s. “You can lie to people once, but you can’t lie to us twice. Don’t cheat the people… .”
Now an ardent PKR supporter, Lim lauds the state government for various measures it has implemented.
“Under Pakatan, water supply is free of charge, the family of a deceased member is granted RM2,500, and even newborn children benefit,” he said.
“Whatever goodies are given out (by either coalition) we will take. But we will vote wisely and for those who have helped us.”
Lim said his discontent is only with Palanivel and that it does not extend to former Selangor menteri besar Muhammad Muhammad Taib, whose tenure spanned 1986-1997.
A long-time resident named Hau said his vote is for BN, regardless of the candidate.
“MIC, Umno, all the same under 1Malaysia,” he said.
‘BN is like family’
Rubber tapper R Saroja, 41, from Ladang Sungai Jernih, sang the familiar tune that BN should continue to helm the country, but with a strong opposition in place.
“We can scold (BN) and complain all we want, or even fight with them, but the coalition is like our parents. You wouldn’t disown your family members, would you?” she said.“Having Pakatan as an opposition has been good for us, as we benefit from its programmes but I think BN has learnt its lesson and will look after the people.”
Saroja, who runs a small provision shop after her tapping duties, was despondent about poor business over the past decade, as well as inadequate public transportation.
“People moving in and out of the estate need their own vehicle. Sometimes we are stranded for hours until we get a ride with a passer-by,” she said.
Asked to choose between Mugilan (right) and Palanivel, she replied: “We need a candidate who can work. We have seen Palanivel around the area quite often. Maybe he will keep his promises if he wins this time.” The Hulu Selangor by-election will be held on April 25, following nominations on April 17. The seat was vacated by the death of Pakatan’s Dr Zainal Abidin Ahmad, who won by 198 votes in 2008.
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