The elusive debutant
Muda Mohd NoorPublished: Jan 23, 2007 2:20 PM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 6:21 PM
Come Sunday, the folks in the tiny hamlet of Batu Talam in Pahang will make a beeline outside the polling stations to vote in a by-election.
Who is Ng Chee Pang? Where is he? With just four days to go, voters appear to be in the dark about their aspiring state assemblyperson.
Come Sunday, the folks in the tiny hamlet of Batu Talam in Pahang will make a beeline outside the polling stations to vote in a by-election.
The state constituency has more than 10,000 voters. They know Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Abdul Aziz Mat Kiram but most of them are in the dark about the contender.
The by-election, called following the death of BN incumbent Tengku Paris Tengku Razlan last month, has been boycotted by the opposition.
Just when everybody thought it will be a political walkover for the ruling front, 22-year-old trader Ng Chee Pang announced that he is running for the seat as an independent.
Last week, the aspiring politician, who is the son of a former DAP Pahang strongman, said he was running 'because he likes to contest'.
His father, who doubles as the campaign manager, told reporters that they have no issues to raise and their manifesto is - we like all parties.
While the streets are laden with posters of Abdul Aziz and other top BN leaders, there appears to be none for the independent candidate.
With just four days to go, Batu Talam voters said they have yet to meet Ng. The only time they saw him was during nomination day on Jan 16.
Has he pulled out?
Felda Tersang settler Abdul Razak Bedu told malaysiakini that Ng did not visit his area and the locals do not have the faintest clue about him.
He said many settlers are wondering if the independent candidate is still in the race. "If you don't come to our place, how are we to vote for you?" he asked.
On the other hand, fellow settler Rosyati Sidek said Abdul Aziz and other BN leaders have visited the area on numerous occasions.
According to Kampung Cheroh villager Anuar Abdul Kadir (right), even the Chinese voters in the constituency have not met Ng.
"I would not recognise him if I saw him on the street. If he is serious about contesting, he should meet the voters, especially with the polling day around the corner," he said.
Meanwhile, Abdul Aziz said he is campaigning as usual although the majority of voters are expected to vote for BN.
"We have carried out what we planned, such as our door-to-door campaign and ceramah. The response has been encouraging," he said when contacted.
He said the BN machinery will intensify its campaign to ensure that the voters turn up on polling day.
In the absence of an opposition candidate, many voters are expected to give the by-election a miss as it is being perceived as an easy win for the ruling front.
The state constituency has more than 10,000 voters. They know Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Abdul Aziz Mat Kiram but most of them are in the dark about the contender. The by-election, called following the death of BN incumbent Tengku Paris Tengku Razlan last month, has been boycotted by the opposition.
Just when everybody thought it will be a political walkover for the ruling front, 22-year-old trader Ng Chee Pang announced that he is running for the seat as an independent.
Last week, the aspiring politician, who is the son of a former DAP Pahang strongman, said he was running 'because he likes to contest'.
His father, who doubles as the campaign manager, told reporters that they have no issues to raise and their manifesto is - we like all parties.
While the streets are laden with posters of Abdul Aziz and other top BN leaders, there appears to be none for the independent candidate.
With just four days to go, Batu Talam voters said they have yet to meet Ng. The only time they saw him was during nomination day on Jan 16.
Has he pulled out?
Felda Tersang settler Abdul Razak Bedu told malaysiakini that Ng did not visit his area and the locals do not have the faintest clue about him. He said many settlers are wondering if the independent candidate is still in the race. "If you don't come to our place, how are we to vote for you?" he asked.
On the other hand, fellow settler Rosyati Sidek said Abdul Aziz and other BN leaders have visited the area on numerous occasions.
According to Kampung Cheroh villager Anuar Abdul Kadir (right), even the Chinese voters in the constituency have not met Ng. "I would not recognise him if I saw him on the street. If he is serious about contesting, he should meet the voters, especially with the polling day around the corner," he said.
Meanwhile, Abdul Aziz said he is campaigning as usual although the majority of voters are expected to vote for BN.
"We have carried out what we planned, such as our door-to-door campaign and ceramah. The response has been encouraging," he said when contacted.
He said the BN machinery will intensify its campaign to ensure that the voters turn up on polling day.
In the absence of an opposition candidate, many voters are expected to give the by-election a miss as it is being perceived as an easy win for the ruling front.
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