Kinta Valley round-up Word on the street suggests that DAP may be able to secure a vote turnaround in Kinta Valley, home to Perak's capital Ipoh.

The tide may be turning in favour of the opposition party at the coming polls if grassroots feedback hold true, according to a Barisan Nasional (BN) party leader who requested anonymity.

Some major factors coming into play strengthen the assessment : 2004 will be DAP strongman Lim Kit Siang's final bid for parliament; and the unpopularity of certain BN incumbents for failing to address a number of controversial local council issues.

Facing off the veteran opposition leader in Ipoh Timor is BN's Thong Fah Chong, an MCA man who won his first term in 1999 by 2,127 votes.

The opposition's edge is Lim himself. Voters aren't too concerned with his 'No to Islamic state' rallying cry, or favourite phrases like 'Malaysian Malaysia', said the BN insider.

They are, however, going to really weigh up whether they want to deny Lim his swan song in parliament, he added.

"If they don't let him win, there will be no more chance for the opposition, and thereafter no more noise in parliament. Kinta Valley voters are mature enough to realise that."

Local council issues

The most damaging of BN failures in Ipoh Timor, he said, is the long-standing controversy over the local council's approval for a light industrial estate in the residential area of Taman Hock Lee.

The housing estate's residents have been openly fighting city councillors for two years in attempts to declare illegal two rows of light industry shoplots built at residential zones.

While the problem falls under local council jurisdiction, frustrated residents eventually appealed for state government intervention, on the grounds of alleged corruption within city hall.

There was an initial bout of interest, from parliamentarians like Thong (left) and even Menteri Besar Tajol Rosli Ghazali, but this eventually cooled off.

"Thong has passed the buck on the matter, and the MB is no longer interested in addressing the issue," said the BN politician.

Thong is also charged with not doing much. "He shows his face and thinks that he can get support that way".

But there are some who are unhappy that he has been dragging his feet over some of these issues.

Ipoh council's notoriety - built on issues like high assessment rates, the purchase of the much criticised RM34,000 parking meters, and the moral-policing of city parks for couples engaged in 'inappropriate' sexual misdemeanors like holding hands is a tar ball that will no doubt stick to BN candidates on their campaign trail.

DAP rubbed its hands in glee at the news that BN has named three councillors as state candidates.

All three Gooi Seng Teik, Loi Koi Pin and Alex Chan Chin Chee - are MCA men. The opposition is expected to turn them into good punching bags for problems related to Ipoh's unpopular city council.

Internal problems in BN

Recently more problems surfaced for the BN. One, is the break in local Gerakan ranks with the erasing of Canning state seat incumbent Hew Yew Can from the list of nominees.

Traditional Gerakan supporters have told malaysiakini that they will switch over to the opposition camp, rather than support the 'inexperienced' Vincent Hooi who replaces Hew.

Though Canning, a state seat under Ipoh Timor, is expected to see a straight fight between two new faces Hooi and DAP's Teh Hock Kee BN's machinery is considerably weaker as they have no 'larger-than-life' personality to lead their campaign like DAP's Lim.

Observers conclude that Ipoh Timor's Thong will have to really sweat it out to overcome Lim's campaign, as he too will no longer be able to ride on Hew's grassroots supporters.

Secondly and perhaps more disconcerting for BN, is that MCA members are far from united in this campaign.

The assurances of MCA President Ong Ka Ting that all is well within the BN party, couldn't be further from the truth.

Under the guise of unity, it looks like Team B "has been smothered," noted one observer from the opposition.

Smothered, but not exactly keeping silent.

It isn't difficult to find local MCA leaders being critical about a number of candidates standing for the polls.

Team B left out

One told malaysiakini: "Of course we will not go out of our way to undermine the party. But if you look at the new line-up announced yesterday, it is clear that Team B men have been completely left out."

Most are jaundiced about one particular candidate: Ipoh Timor incumbent Thong.

According to another leader who did not want to be named, locals are familiar with the widely-publicised lawsuit Thong filed, during his term as MP, against his brother in a dispute over their family estate.

While it was a personal matter it nevertheless attracted bad publicity in the Chinese press."The perception out there, especially among the Chinese-speaking voters, is that Thong cannot be trusted," said the insider.

The DAP is already capitalising on the issue in its campaign against the BN, he added.

Batu Gajah seat affected

Similar internal BN bickering has also emerged in the Batu Gajah parliamentary constituency, currently the only Kinta Valley seat under the opposition ticket.

BN's charge for the seat is led by MCA state chief Ong Ka Chuan.

The party has assigned local councillor Loh Koi Pin to the state seat of Menglembu (one of three under Batu Gajah).

But it has been said that Loh, though a native, his chances are slim, his dispute with local associations may drag him down.

BN insiders point out that during his term as local leader of the MCA-aligned Gerakan Belia Bersatu Malaysia, Loh was allegedly involved in an acrimonious altercation over association funds.

Menglembu was won by DAP's Keong Ming Sing with a low majority of 1,800 votes, but chances are the ruling front will be hard-pressed for a victory here.

Tough bout

At the parliamentary level however, BN looks much stronger.

Ong, as chair of the state exco's public utilities and infrastructure committee, should find little difficulty dishing out development promises for his constituency.

A tough fight should play out between DAP's Fong Poh Kuan, who is the incumbent, and Ong.

However, when asked to comment on his chances, the MCA rising star was modest.

"Definitely we cannot be careless. In the last four elections, we lost three. It is an uphill battle for me," he said.

His reason for going to Batu Gajah is that he has to lead the BN team for the battle with the DAP chief.

"Of course, when compared to him in terms of popularity, I am just 15 years old, but hopefully with the Barisan government (promising) to bring development to Perak, we will have the edge."

'Cili padi' bite

Fong too, has used the term "uphill battle" to refer to her fight with Ong. But the gutsy incumbent for Batu Gajah has often won praise for her 'cili padi' approach in parliament, even at the cost of a six-month suspension of her MP allowances following an argument with Dewan Rakyat Speaker Zahir Mohamad Ismail.

Rounding up Kinta Valley, is the Ipoh Barat seat, currently held by BN's Ho Cheong Sing. Compared to the other two seats, DAP - as sole opposition for Ipoh Barat - will have a much harder time dethroning Ho.

"I am quite happy with the service I have provided," said Ho, who was appointed parliamentary secretary to the international trade and industry ministry last year.

"My work in the Kampung Tersusun area, particularly clearing drains and widening roads, was well received. I am satisfied. The people are enjoying the facilities."

Development money

In fact, he said, as an MP under the Barisan banner, those privileges have afforded him better access to federal ministry coffers.

"We have access to the ministry to get extra money. This we channel to residents, especially the youth, by building basketball courts."

For Ipoh Barat, DAP will be fielding its deputy secretary-general M Kulasegaran.

Kula, as the politician is better known, had previously contested in 1999 against Ho, and lost by a 3,678 margin, or 7.88 percent of the votes cast.

But it is said that Kula's standing in this election has improved: rather than parachuting into the constituency at the last minute, Kula was able to secure from the national leadership the right to contest Ipoh Barat months before, and was thus able to crank up his election machinery early in the game.

The opposition's advantage mostly lies in the state constituency of Bercham, where the Chinese new village majority has been traditionally opposition prone, but it isn't hopeful of Buntong even though this seat has a large minority of Indian voters.

Fan Yew Teng, a former DAP MP who will be aiding Kulasegaran in his campaign, said racial politics isn't necessarily a major factor in Ipoh Barat, or even Ipoh for that matter.

However, he admitted that DAP's pact with PAS in 1995 and 1999 did cost them non-Muslim votes.

For 2004, no such obstacles stand in the way.

Overall, the opposition's strategy will focus on BN inefficiencies at the local level expect the election debate in Kinta Valley to be submerged by "drain-cleaning politics".