We are the turtle, Pakatan the rabbit

KUALA LUMPUR: In the tough race for the Kajang seat, MCA sees itself as the humble turtle that crawls forward slowly but surely.

Its opponent, Pakatan Rakyat, on the other hand, is the cocky rabbit confident that it would win.

This analogy was made by MCA Youth Chief Chong Sin Woon, who on Thursday dismissed a conclusion by several political analysts that a Chinese tsunami would again cause Barisan Nasional to lose in the Kajang by-election.

"While I think it is really an uphill battle, we do not see another tsunami happening," Chong told Astro AWANI.

Admitting that support from the Chinese voters were still at an all time low, Chong however said that the feedback from the past week has been positive.

This was especially so for MCA candidate Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun, whom he calls their trump card.

"The situation with the Chinese is getting better, for Mei Fun especially. We do not need a good speech or big gathering, the voters just want to shake her hand. We saw a very united MCA, members from all over the country coming to support; you seldom see that in MCA," he said.

However, Chong admitted that it was "not enough" and hinted that MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai would be announcing what MCA is going to offer to the people not just for Kajang.

"We are getting there, there is no more Ubah. Even some of the locals have also said they are not in the pockets of (Opposition leader) Anwar Ibrahim," he said.

Chong claimed that DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng had expressed that he would not come to Kajang to campaign.

"Lim says Anwar does not need him. Thats very arrogant to think the Chinese have already given them the win. For us, we are just pulling each and every vote. We are moving forward slowly and humbly. Like a turtle... and rabbit," he said.

Meanwhile, former Kajang state assemblyman Datuk TC Choong said that the opinion of analysts might not reflect that of locals.

"It is just an opinion, there is no basis. I have been going around, I don't see anyUbah (change) sentiment because there is nothing to Ubah," said Choong.

Choong said those who want change should instead consider having a strong opposition voice representing the Chinese in Selangor.

"To have an opposition would be good for us, having a PKR leader would not change the government," he said.

Previously, political analysts Astro AWANI spoke to agreed that the 'Chinese Tsunami', a term coined after the major shift of the Chinese community from the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN) in the last General Election, will be repeated in the Kajang by-election.

The by-election for the Kajang state seat in Selangor will be held on March 23, while March 11 has been set for nominations.

The by-election, the third since the GE, was triggered by the resignation of PKR assemblyman Lee Chin Cheh on January 27.

In the 13th GE, Lee garnered 19,571 votes followed by Lee Ban Seng of the BN with 12,747 votes.

Mohamad Ismail of Berjasa obtained 1,014 votes. The three independent candidates who contested the seat were Mohd Iwan Jefrey Abdul Majib (249 votes), Ong Yan Foo (85 votes) and Mohd Khalid Kassim (83 votes).

Lee won the seat with a comfortable 6,824-vote majority.

Kajang is a mixed constituency with 48 per cent Malay, 41 per cent Chinese and 10 per cent Indian voters.

The constituency has 39,278 voters including 1,197 early voters.

Astro Awani