Ipoh Timor / Canning for 13GE

Having some extra time has allowed me to write a first-look impression on the candidates for the Parliament level of Ipoh Timur and the state seat of Canning. 

Basically, the criteria that I am looking for the two candidates is that the MP and the ADUN has to do a decent job. Nonetheless, people have to understand the hierarchy of looking for the appropriate persons to do the job. Local Councillors are the lowest of the hierarchy, followed by the state assemblyman. Generally, the area where a voter would be should usually look for the lower and if not, the middle-tier, that is the assemblyman.

If all else fails or if something requires federal government attention, then it is the job of the MP to do it. I once remembered a professor at a forum saying that MPs are not supermen and instead suggested that the people view it from the hierarchy and understand the demands of the job, supposed if they are one of them someday.

When I voted for the first time the last time round, I understood from the beginning that getting the right MP to represent that constituency is more important over than voting for the right assemblyman. Ultimately the resources are controlled by the federal government. State governments can only take it up to a certain limit. 

Taking a cue from my friend Haris Ibrahim's posting, I am prepared to settle for someone who ultimately does a decent job and not being a mere "drain ADUN / MP". The goal for this GE is to whack UMNO and BN to kingdom come. In 2008, I just told some people in Ipoh town, those whom I know, family friends there to give the vote to DAP, and not to some man in MCA whom many have learnt that they just merely kow tow to the whims of UMNO, as it was run by the Ong brothers.

I recalled asking my late grandparents in the late 1990s about her thoughts of the then MP, Thong Fah Chong and the then assemblyman Hew (something ).  My late grandmother's answer was summarized as "not doing their jobs". At that time, internet in Malaysia has yet to expand though.

Now that Lim Kit Siang has moved to Gelang Patah (in DAP's strategy move), Thomas Su, originally the Pasar Pinji assemblyman has been promoted to the Parliamentary capacity while Howard Lee (formerly part of Kah Woh's motley crew) has been moved to that place.

I know some of you may recall an episode that Mediaperak reported in Taman Kaya (Ipoh Garden East) involving Howard's parents and the old man Simon Thong that there's a call for punishment or protest against DAP. But at this point of time, I have to disagree of the timing, but more importantly the need to remove the "scales in blue" party takes a higher precedence. 

While I am not familiar with Thomas, word from the mouth of those who were in Pasir Pinji painted a positive light on Thomas for his work done. In fact, Fong Po Kuan, who wanted to vacate the seat before the 2008 elections had in fact recommended Thomas for Batu Gajah but was persuaded at the last moment to stay there for one more term until now.

Do you remember Ceylyn, the Gerakan Ipoh councilor who was caught saying "ham kah chan" in Cantonese early last year? Watching a Chinese New Year greeting banner hanging at the Gerakan's house office in Kampung Simee with her picture on it seems to be a direct hint there. 

Here's an interesting thing: the bilik gerakan for DAP in Kampung Simee is less than 100 yards away from the Gerakan's bilik gerakan!

From their work rate, Kah Woh and Thomas have passed the integrity test, and there are at times I would bump into the former and his motley crew in some assemblies. I have also have seen his name mentioned prominently in the news about his work in Canning and as well as hitting the headlines of having the BN 6 suspended (prior to the February 2009 coup).

While I am not familiar with the MCA candidate there, I think that it is vital to send a message to the MCA that they are to be ditched for they have outlived their purpose of representing the Malaysian Chinese community.