Caught between rock and hard place: The Batu dilemma
GE15 | A senior citizen approached Pakatan Harapan's Batu candidate P Prabakaran during his walkabout for “advice” on who to pick between the incumbent MP and independent candidate Tian Chua, come polling day for the 15th general election on Nov 19.
However, before the conversation was over, the elderly woman at Taman Wahyu in Kuala Lumpur answered her own question - she would vote to change the government.
"Aiyaa, why he (Chua) do like this? Make it so difficult for us?
"Chua (above) came back into the picture, we don't know how now," said the woman, who refused to be identified, but added that Chua was a "family friend."
"But, in order to change the prime minister, we will definitely vote for Harapan," she concluded.
The "puzzled" woman is not alone. A similar dilemma seems to be resonating across Batu ever since Chua, a former two-term MP for the constituency (between 2008-2018), filed his nomination on Nov 5 to contest as an independent against Harapan's pick Prabakaran.
To compound the confusion, Chua, who is former PKR vice-president, was also recently quoted telling the Chinese media that "one vote for me is one vote for Harapan."
This is despite Harapan chairperson cum PKR president Anwar Ibrahim's earlier announcement that any party member who contests as an independent against Harapan, will be automatically sacked from the party.
Despite the "confusion", Prabakaran is confident that the voters would not be swayed as they are aware of the turmoil unfolding between Chua and PKR.
Incumbent Batu MP P Prabakaran on his walkabout
Prabakaran was well received by residents of Taman Wahyu during his walkabout, as supporters dressed in party colours and brandishing their flags, tailed him closely.
Residents snapped "selfies" with the incumbent MP while other regulars at local coffee shops were brought up to speed on the progress made on traffic congestion in the constituency.
In the 14th general election, 68 percent of the votes from the predominantly Chinese Taman Wahyu, which neighbours Kepong, went for Prabakaran.
“That’s the guy who took the Chinese guy’s place,” said one construction worker to another, after Prabakaran briefly greeted them, left his flyer with them, and walked away.
The workers, who declined to be named, were having their breakfast at a coffee shop in Taman Wahyu, and one of them said he recognised the man (Prabakaran) but not the name.
Hailing from Kelantan, the worker said he was also familiar with Chua but owed him no loyalty, even when Batu was his wife’s voting constituency.
He shared that he and his wife have decided to vote for Harapan.
It is worth noting that Batu has been a PKR stronghold since 2008 - that too with a growing majority, despite the growing number of candidates contesting there in every election.
'We asked Chua to contest'
In GE15, Batu will see an unprecedented 10-way contest, but regardless of the overcrowding, the voters seem to have decided on who they want to pick.
Prabakaran was well received by residents of Taman Wahyu during his walkabout, as supporters dressed in party colours and brandishing their flags, tailed him closely.
Residents snapped "selfies" with the incumbent MP while other regulars at local coffee shops were brought up to speed on the progress made on traffic congestion in the constituency.
In the 14th general election, 68 percent of the votes from the predominantly Chinese Taman Wahyu, which neighbours Kepong, went for Prabakaran.
“That’s the guy who took the Chinese guy’s place,” said one construction worker to another, after Prabakaran briefly greeted them, left his flyer with them, and walked away.
The workers, who declined to be named, were having their breakfast at a coffee shop in Taman Wahyu, and one of them said he recognised the man (Prabakaran) but not the name.
Hailing from Kelantan, the worker said he was also familiar with Chua but owed him no loyalty, even when Batu was his wife’s voting constituency.
He shared that he and his wife have decided to vote for Harapan.
It is worth noting that Batu has been a PKR stronghold since 2008 - that too with a growing majority, despite the growing number of candidates contesting there in every election.
'We asked Chua to contest'
In GE15, Batu will see an unprecedented 10-way contest, but regardless of the overcrowding, the voters seem to have decided on who they want to pick.
Batu voter Mansor Wahab
In the predominantly Malay neighbourhood of Taman Dato Senu, Mansor Wahab, 57, insisted that Chua’s influence was stronger than Prabakaran’s and lists the latter’s popularity as number three, according to his personal poll of the constituency.
“Number one is Chua. Number two is Perikatan Nasional’s PAS candidate, Azhar Yahya. And third is Prabakaran and that’s only because he has a party now.
“The rest of the candidates are mere interference,” he said, writing off all the other seven candidates as non-threats.
The remaining seven candidates competing for votes from the 113,000-strong electorate are BN’s A Kohilan Pillay, Warisan’s Naganathan Pillai, Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) candidate Wan Azliana Wan Adnan, Parti Rakyat Malaysia’s Mohd Zulkifli Abdul Fattah, and independents Nur Fathiah Syazwana @Cleo, Too Cheng Huat and Siti Kasim.
Mansor, who is a keen follower of Malaysian politics, said half the Malays in Taman Dato Senu supported Chua.
“We asked Chua to contest as an independent candidate.
“Chua has the support of the Chinese and half the Malays in Taman Dato Senu,” he said.
Mansor explained that they came to the decision after observing the MCA-MIC relations in Batu deteriorate.
In the predominantly Malay neighbourhood of Taman Dato Senu, Mansor Wahab, 57, insisted that Chua’s influence was stronger than Prabakaran’s and lists the latter’s popularity as number three, according to his personal poll of the constituency.
“Number one is Chua. Number two is Perikatan Nasional’s PAS candidate, Azhar Yahya. And third is Prabakaran and that’s only because he has a party now.
“The rest of the candidates are mere interference,” he said, writing off all the other seven candidates as non-threats.
The remaining seven candidates competing for votes from the 113,000-strong electorate are BN’s A Kohilan Pillay, Warisan’s Naganathan Pillai, Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) candidate Wan Azliana Wan Adnan, Parti Rakyat Malaysia’s Mohd Zulkifli Abdul Fattah, and independents Nur Fathiah Syazwana @Cleo, Too Cheng Huat and Siti Kasim.
Mansor, who is a keen follower of Malaysian politics, said half the Malays in Taman Dato Senu supported Chua.
“We asked Chua to contest as an independent candidate.
“Chua has the support of the Chinese and half the Malays in Taman Dato Senu,” he said.
Mansor explained that they came to the decision after observing the MCA-MIC relations in Batu deteriorate.
Batu had become a seat of contention not only in the Harapan camp but also among the BN component parties when the seat offered first to MCA was withdrawn to be given to MIC, explained Mansor.
This contention may work in favour of Chua as Mansor reveals that the disgruntled MCA members tore down their streamers, and party banners and closed their operations rooms, before throwing their support behind Chua.
Mansor is privy to the inter-party discussions as he has been a close ally to Chua and a key campaigner even before Chua won the MP seat in 2008.
Health complications halted his campaigning days but he continues to keep in touch with the former MP and being his ear on the ground.
Batu was a stronghold of Gerakan (when it was still part of BN) from 1986 until Chua unseated them in 2008.
BN could be looking to rekindle the old Gerakan support earned by BN candidate Kohilan during his days as Gerakan vice president, before joining MIC in 2019.
Although Kohilan also holds two deputy ministerial stints under his belt, as deputy foreign affairs minister and deputy minister of plantation, industry, and commodities, this is a non-factor as far as Mansor is concerned.
He predicted that Kohilan would garner even fewer votes than the four independent candidates contesting there - Chua, Siti, Cleo, and Too.
Tidal wave of support
According to polling district data from GE14, 54 percent of the 5,113 votes that were cast in Taman Dato Senu were cast in favour of Harapan, while 24 percent voted for PAS, 21 percent voted for Gerakan (under BN then), while the remaining 0.35 percent voted for the independent candidate.
Anwar Ibrahim at a ceramah in Taman Dato Senu
This is a neighbourhood where all the triple-storey terrace houses are only 3.65 metres (12 feet) wide and at least 100 houses across the main road have not been awarded certificates of fitness (CF) despite residents having lived there for more than 20 years.
If residents in Taman Dato Senu who are mostly middle- and low-income earners, had already made up their minds according to Mansor’s poll, Anwar’s ceramah at a playing field in the neighbourhood last night may have tipped the scale back in favour of Prabakaran.
At least 3,000 people thronged the field and its surrounding roads. They cheered and roared when Anwar endorsed Prabakaran as the candidate of the people’s choice.
Sheem Thong, 29, who was born in Taman Dato Senu and was among the residents early to arrive at the political rally, said she was born there and alluded that her vote was for the Harapan candidate.
This is a neighbourhood where all the triple-storey terrace houses are only 3.65 metres (12 feet) wide and at least 100 houses across the main road have not been awarded certificates of fitness (CF) despite residents having lived there for more than 20 years.
If residents in Taman Dato Senu who are mostly middle- and low-income earners, had already made up their minds according to Mansor’s poll, Anwar’s ceramah at a playing field in the neighbourhood last night may have tipped the scale back in favour of Prabakaran.
At least 3,000 people thronged the field and its surrounding roads. They cheered and roared when Anwar endorsed Prabakaran as the candidate of the people’s choice.
Sheem Thong, 29, who was born in Taman Dato Senu and was among the residents early to arrive at the political rally, said she was born there and alluded that her vote was for the Harapan candidate.
Sheem Thong from Taman Dato Senu
This, she added, is not because of the party, but the fact that she has seen Prabakaran several times in the neighbourhood, helping out when in times of need.
“I support the younger candidate because he knows what the future generation wants and I support Harapan,” said the head-hunter working for a multinational corporation.
But the neighbourhood also has voters who are “loyal” to the independent candidate, Siti.
Cheong CM, who has dedicated his morning walks to campaigning for Siti by wearing something that looks like a Siti-top hat, said Prabakaran’s one term as an MP was “accidental” and his decision to stand again was driven by greed.
“But thankfully we have a choice of heroin, like Siti. I look for qualities in a person,” said Cheong, who predicts that Siti will win on the back of the young voters, while Chua will beat Prabakaran.
This, she added, is not because of the party, but the fact that she has seen Prabakaran several times in the neighbourhood, helping out when in times of need.
“I support the younger candidate because he knows what the future generation wants and I support Harapan,” said the head-hunter working for a multinational corporation.
But the neighbourhood also has voters who are “loyal” to the independent candidate, Siti.
Cheong CM, who has dedicated his morning walks to campaigning for Siti by wearing something that looks like a Siti-top hat, said Prabakaran’s one term as an MP was “accidental” and his decision to stand again was driven by greed.
“But thankfully we have a choice of heroin, like Siti. I look for qualities in a person,” said Cheong, who predicts that Siti will win on the back of the young voters, while Chua will beat Prabakaran.
Cheong CM supports Siti Kasim
'Harapan's 22 months damaging enough'
The Batu electorate is predominantly middle and low-income earners, comprising roadside traders, cleaners, clerks, DBKL employees, Alam Flora employees, and small business operators, among others.
The constituency comprises six PPRs (Program Perumahan Rakyat), which are government-funded low-cost houses for the B40 group, and five low-cost flats that house at least 10,000 residents.
The electorate grew by 40 percent with 6,000 new young voters, but at least 36,000 of this Malay majority electorate are aged between 21 and 30 years old.
But like Cheong, there are voters who are veering away from the Harapan choice.
“I gave them my vote but within 22 months they have threatened the rights of Indians and Hindus,” said one resident in Taman Wahyu PPR, who declined to be named.
“If they can do that within 22 months, I dare not think what they could have done if they were given a full term to govern. So, my vote is for MIC,” he declared.
Another resident, who also declined to be named, said her vote would go toward the candidate who would give her the most welfare benefits.
The Harapan manifesto has the least cash handouts but was competitive in its pledge to improve the education system and affordability for the poor.
Yet its pledges for structural reforms aimed at eliminating corruption and the long-term development of a nation do not impress, like PN’s immediate and more tangible handouts.
PN pledges to increase by RM100 its cost-of-living allowance for civil servants and is also offering RM1,000 early aid to students enrolling in tertiary education, RM1,000 incentive to gig workers to enrol in accredited courses, and much more.
'Harapan's 22 months damaging enough'
The Batu electorate is predominantly middle and low-income earners, comprising roadside traders, cleaners, clerks, DBKL employees, Alam Flora employees, and small business operators, among others.
The constituency comprises six PPRs (Program Perumahan Rakyat), which are government-funded low-cost houses for the B40 group, and five low-cost flats that house at least 10,000 residents.
The electorate grew by 40 percent with 6,000 new young voters, but at least 36,000 of this Malay majority electorate are aged between 21 and 30 years old.
But like Cheong, there are voters who are veering away from the Harapan choice.
“I gave them my vote but within 22 months they have threatened the rights of Indians and Hindus,” said one resident in Taman Wahyu PPR, who declined to be named.
“If they can do that within 22 months, I dare not think what they could have done if they were given a full term to govern. So, my vote is for MIC,” he declared.
Another resident, who also declined to be named, said her vote would go toward the candidate who would give her the most welfare benefits.
The Harapan manifesto has the least cash handouts but was competitive in its pledge to improve the education system and affordability for the poor.
Yet its pledges for structural reforms aimed at eliminating corruption and the long-term development of a nation do not impress, like PN’s immediate and more tangible handouts.
PN pledges to increase by RM100 its cost-of-living allowance for civil servants and is also offering RM1,000 early aid to students enrolling in tertiary education, RM1,000 incentive to gig workers to enrol in accredited courses, and much more.
Businesses in Kampung Batu, however, cannot stop talking about the "young MP" who saved them thousands of ringgit by solving the frequent flash flooding that inundates their business premises every time it pours.
After Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) replaced the narrow underground culverts with larger ones, Adrian Cheng said that even when so many areas in Klang Valley were flooding in December 2021, their businesses were safe.
Roads and even the back lanes are more pliable after they complained to Prabakaran, Cheng said, adding that the former had also hosted several programmes including an inter-school calligraphy competition which won him instant fame with the Chinese in Batu.
 | WP KUALA LUMPUR |
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