PKR's Low new Pandamaran village head

PKR member and women’s organisation leader Low See Mee was voted in as the new Pandamaran village head today, garnering nearly half of the 2,657 votes.

Low (right in photo) defeated her closest rival Tee Boon Hock with a 241 vote majority, bagging  1,076 votes. Tee received 835 votes.

Incumbent Yap Hock Siew received 172 votes, social worker Yap Kim Huat 127 votes, Tee Kim Huat 205 votes and Tan Yu Thiam 217 votes.

Returning officer Bakhtiar Hussin announced the results at 6pm at Pandamaran Sports Complex. 

Voter turn out was only 19.1 percent at the village of 13,896 eligible voters.

Bakhtiar attributed the poor showing to bad weather and the celebration of the month-long Hungry Ghost Festival.

Low's victory marks PKR's entry into a DAP stronghold after former Klang councillor Tee’s support letter scandal of last year weakened his support base.

Low when asked said she treats her victory as a good beginning for democracy, not for PKR.

She was however coy when asked whether PKR will replace DAP in Pandamaran in the coming general election, stressing that she will focus on her work as village head first.

“It is beyond my jurisdiction to decide (whether or not to contest in the GE),” she said.

The 2003 Selangor Outstanding Woman Award recipient said her primary tasks are to build an inclusive village committee, extend land titles for villagers and embark on talks with the Kg Jalan Papan relocation committee.

Tee Boon Hock may exit politics

Meanwhile, Tee Boon Hock (right), who was in media spotlight for his comeback after the support letter scandal last year that led to his expulsion from DAP, conceded defeat and congratulated Low.

He attributed his failure to the fierce competition between four DAP candidates Yap Hock Siew, Yap Kim Huat, Tee Kim Huat, Tan Yu Thiam, and himself.

“There were four candidates who are from DAP. So this split the votes (among the supporters),” he said.

The four have lost their deposits for not obtaining at least one eighth of the total ballots, or 322 votes.

He added that he might call it quits from politics and refocus on his business concerns.

“I will take a break and pursue my business first,” he said.