Will Paul Yong's son, DAP's Tiw step out of his shadow in Tronoh?
by Isabelle Leong
GE15 | The pitter-patter of rain falling on rooftops of old shophouses was heard across Kampung Baru Gunung Hijau on a Tuesday afternoon.
As this writer sought shelter in front of a dimly lit hardware store nestled in one of the streets of the Tronoh constituency, she was joined by the store’s elderly owner.
Descending into his rattan chair, leaving him stuck in an almost hunch, the local, who only wanted to be known as Uncle Loh, lit a cigarette while engaging in a quick chat.
“Yang Zuqiang (Paul Yong’s name in Chinese pronunciation)?” he asked - while pointing at a dilapidated banner of the controversial incumbent Tronoh MP that was hanging by a thread, quite literally, on the storefront of the opposite shop.
“There’s not much development here over the past 10 years. Nothing.
“They only built a few houses and a roof for the nearby basketball court, that’s it.”
Asked if the 70-year-old would head to the polls come Nov 19 since there is a new lineup of candidates this time around, he took a long puff and quipped, “We’ll see, the sky decides.”
“If it rains, it’s not my business. It doesn’t matter to me who wins,” he said, before bidding farewell to attend to his customer.
Although the ex-DAP man has taken a sabbatical following his conviction for rape at the Ipoh High Court in July, it would not be erroneous to say that Yong’s spectre still haunts the six-way race in the sleepy town of Tronoh this general election.
One could not help but ponder how two candidates in particular – his former colleague from DAP and another, his own flesh and blood – could step out of Yong’s shadow and make a name for themselves this election.
As such, this writer made her way into the city centre to meet Bryan Yong, where he shared the challenges faced, as well as his vision to stand in for his father at the eleventh hour.
Despite being thrown into the deep end of the election to defend Yong’s seat, Bryan, decked in his signature white dress shirt and black trousers, exudes an air of calm and classy competence.
Being the spitting image of his father, the 25-year-old may be seen as a greenhorn in politics.
There’s more than meets the eye as Bryan revealed he was plunged into the political realm from as young as he could remember due to his father’s influence.
GE15 | The pitter-patter of rain falling on rooftops of old shophouses was heard across Kampung Baru Gunung Hijau on a Tuesday afternoon.
As this writer sought shelter in front of a dimly lit hardware store nestled in one of the streets of the Tronoh constituency, she was joined by the store’s elderly owner.
Descending into his rattan chair, leaving him stuck in an almost hunch, the local, who only wanted to be known as Uncle Loh, lit a cigarette while engaging in a quick chat.
“Yang Zuqiang (Paul Yong’s name in Chinese pronunciation)?” he asked - while pointing at a dilapidated banner of the controversial incumbent Tronoh MP that was hanging by a thread, quite literally, on the storefront of the opposite shop.
“There’s not much development here over the past 10 years. Nothing.
“They only built a few houses and a roof for the nearby basketball court, that’s it.”
Asked if the 70-year-old would head to the polls come Nov 19 since there is a new lineup of candidates this time around, he took a long puff and quipped, “We’ll see, the sky decides.”
“If it rains, it’s not my business. It doesn’t matter to me who wins,” he said, before bidding farewell to attend to his customer.
Although the ex-DAP man has taken a sabbatical following his conviction for rape at the Ipoh High Court in July, it would not be erroneous to say that Yong’s spectre still haunts the six-way race in the sleepy town of Tronoh this general election.
One could not help but ponder how two candidates in particular – his former colleague from DAP and another, his own flesh and blood – could step out of Yong’s shadow and make a name for themselves this election.
As such, this writer made her way into the city centre to meet Bryan Yong, where he shared the challenges faced, as well as his vision to stand in for his father at the eleventh hour.
Despite being thrown into the deep end of the election to defend Yong’s seat, Bryan, decked in his signature white dress shirt and black trousers, exudes an air of calm and classy competence.
Being the spitting image of his father, the 25-year-old may be seen as a greenhorn in politics.
There’s more than meets the eye as Bryan revealed he was plunged into the political realm from as young as he could remember due to his father’s influence.
PBM’s Tronoh aspirant Bryan Yong
“I have been very passionate about politics since young. I was very heavily influenced by politics, especially by a certain party,” he laughed, indirectly referring to DAP, his father’s former party of 16 years.
“There was a period where I lost my passion. But now, it has been reignited.
“This was when the people of Tronoh approached me after my father expressed intentions not to contest the state seat anymore,” he told Malaysiakini in an exclusive interview.
Paul was a two-term DAP assemblyperson and former Perak executive councillor between 2018 and 2020.
However, his political career took a hit in 2019 when he was accused of raping a domestic helper at his home.
On July 27, the Ipoh High Court found him guilty and sentenced him to 13 years in jail and two lashes of the cane. He is appealing the decision.
Bryan, contesting under fledgling Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM), said local residents are aware of his father’s contribution and wished for him to continue serving the people.
“I have been very passionate about politics since young. I was very heavily influenced by politics, especially by a certain party,” he laughed, indirectly referring to DAP, his father’s former party of 16 years.
“There was a period where I lost my passion. But now, it has been reignited.
“This was when the people of Tronoh approached me after my father expressed intentions not to contest the state seat anymore,” he told Malaysiakini in an exclusive interview.
Paul was a two-term DAP assemblyperson and former Perak executive councillor between 2018 and 2020.
However, his political career took a hit in 2019 when he was accused of raping a domestic helper at his home.
On July 27, the Ipoh High Court found him guilty and sentenced him to 13 years in jail and two lashes of the cane. He is appealing the decision.
Bryan, contesting under fledgling Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM), said local residents are aware of his father’s contribution and wished for him to continue serving the people.
“My father had solved a lot of problems for the people and he had developed the infrastructure here. For instance, the multipurpose halls and basketball courts.
“He has done his duty to serve the people in Tronoh,” the law graduate from the University of East Anglia said.
Not living in his father’s shadow
While acknowledging Yong’s “popularity” with his name seemingly on everyone’s lips, Bryan stressed that he is not living in his father’s shadows.
“I’m very lucky and grateful for my father, the team and the people of Tronoh.
“I wouldn’t have been here or have this opportunity to do this at all, be it win or lose, if not for my father.
“But I don’t think I’m in my father’s shadows. In fact, I think I’m a very good leader.”
The Sitiawan-born, Ipoh-bred young man said he will offer something different to what voters may have been accustomed to in the past 10 years under Yong’s watch.
Highlighting his father’s contribution to the cultural aspects of the small town located some 30km south of Ipoh, the entrepreneur said he can do better.
“I will put focus on providing more job opportunities and better education institutions as well as academies for the people,” the Tenby International School alumni stressed.
“Maybe develop this town a bit more in terms of tourist attractions so that we can get more companies to invest here.”
On March 9, 2020, Yong announced that he had left DAP to become an independent candidate following the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan state government in 2020.
Outgoing Tronoh assemblyperson Paul Yong
In March last year, he joined Bersatu. However, his stay with the Muhyiddin Yassin-led party did not last long as he later defected and joined Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM).
Yong had since earned himself the unfavourable reputation of being a “frog” or party hopper.
Asked if his father’s “traitor” label by certain quarters and court case would affect his reputation and campaigning efforts, it was apparent that Bryan was slightly taken aback but was quick to put a stop to such claims.
“Yes, he did change his party and that is undeniable. But he did not cause the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government in Perak.
“The court proceedings have been reported in the news, with all the witnesses and testimonies.
“I think the evidence is very solid to us and I believe many people think that it’s a political agenda. I don’t think these two cases would affect my reputation much.”
The Tronoh state constituency will see a six-way fight involving Bryan, Steven Tiw (Harapan), Sin Koon Yen (PN), Leong Chee Wai (BN), Roslan Ismail (GTA), and independent candidate Meor Shahimudin Hasim.
Out with the old, in with new politics of change
Meanwhile, just a 10-minute drive away from the city centre lies Harapan’s Tronoh operation centre where Steven Tiw – DAP’s youngest candidate in Perak and Yong’s replacement in the state seat – was attending to voters’ queries when this writer arrived.
Similar to Bryan, Tiw is also a fairly newcomer to politics but it would be reasonable to say that the latter has a slight upper hand as he has been Ipoh Timor incumbent Wong Kah Woh’s political secretary for four years.
Despite making his election debut and having to go up against Bryan, who is under the mentorship of his former DAP senior, Tiw remains unfazed.
“At this moment, I would like to keep my winning chances at 70 percent.
In March last year, he joined Bersatu. However, his stay with the Muhyiddin Yassin-led party did not last long as he later defected and joined Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM).
Yong had since earned himself the unfavourable reputation of being a “frog” or party hopper.
Asked if his father’s “traitor” label by certain quarters and court case would affect his reputation and campaigning efforts, it was apparent that Bryan was slightly taken aback but was quick to put a stop to such claims.
“Yes, he did change his party and that is undeniable. But he did not cause the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government in Perak.
“The court proceedings have been reported in the news, with all the witnesses and testimonies.
“I think the evidence is very solid to us and I believe many people think that it’s a political agenda. I don’t think these two cases would affect my reputation much.”
The Tronoh state constituency will see a six-way fight involving Bryan, Steven Tiw (Harapan), Sin Koon Yen (PN), Leong Chee Wai (BN), Roslan Ismail (GTA), and independent candidate Meor Shahimudin Hasim.
Out with the old, in with new politics of change
Meanwhile, just a 10-minute drive away from the city centre lies Harapan’s Tronoh operation centre where Steven Tiw – DAP’s youngest candidate in Perak and Yong’s replacement in the state seat – was attending to voters’ queries when this writer arrived.
Similar to Bryan, Tiw is also a fairly newcomer to politics but it would be reasonable to say that the latter has a slight upper hand as he has been Ipoh Timor incumbent Wong Kah Woh’s political secretary for four years.
Despite making his election debut and having to go up against Bryan, who is under the mentorship of his former DAP senior, Tiw remains unfazed.
“At this moment, I would like to keep my winning chances at 70 percent.
Harapan’s Tronoh candidate Steven Tiw
“Compared to Bryan, I have more political experience and better grassroots support, especially from local DAP members here.
“I had a meeting with members from 11 DAP branches in Tronoh the other day and they pledged their full support to run the campaign together,” the Perak DAP Youth wing secretary told Malaysiakini.
Although he refused to be compared to Yong, Tiw said it is undeniable that the latter had fulfilled his duty to the constituents – but under the capacity of a DAP lawmaker.
He pointed out that nothing much had been done since Yong exited DAP after the fall of the Harapan government in 2020.
Therefore, the 29-year-old management graduate vowed to utilise his youth and energy to serve the people if he is elected.
“Compared to Bryan, I have more political experience and better grassroots support, especially from local DAP members here.
“I had a meeting with members from 11 DAP branches in Tronoh the other day and they pledged their full support to run the campaign together,” the Perak DAP Youth wing secretary told Malaysiakini.
Although he refused to be compared to Yong, Tiw said it is undeniable that the latter had fulfilled his duty to the constituents – but under the capacity of a DAP lawmaker.
He pointed out that nothing much had been done since Yong exited DAP after the fall of the Harapan government in 2020.
Therefore, the 29-year-old management graduate vowed to utilise his youth and energy to serve the people if he is elected.
“It’s all about being young, dynamic and progressive.
“Brain drain has always been a serious issue where locals have to venture to big cities like Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Johor and Singapore to work. I will be looking into ways to retain our talents.
“Other issues pertaining to farmers and development also need to be addressed. I will be bringing new politics to Tronoh.”
Mixed feelings over Yong’s performance
Meanwhile, observations by Malaysiakini found that voters on the ground have mixed feelings over Yong’s performance since being elected in 2013.
A locksmith, who asked to remain anonymous said, echoed Uncle Loh’s sentiments.
The elderly man, who was born and bred in Tronoh, said he does not see much development in the small town since Yong took office.
“I have only seen him in Tronoh once. I haven’t noticed any development that he spoke about.
“But… he’s in a sticky situation with his court case, isn’t he? Who knows what actually happened?
“All I hope for is a change in government,” said the man as he called it a day when the rain got heavier.
Lee, the owner of a fruit shop in Kampung Peti Baru, said it would not be fair to associate Yong’s performance as an assemblyperson and his personal affairs.
“The roof over the basketball courts would not be fixed on its own.
“There’s also a new kindergarten at SJK (C) Yit Chee named after him that will be opened next year.
“If he hasn’t been contributing to the community, he won’t be voted in for two terms.”
As this writer concluded her eventful day in Tronoh and made her way back to Ipoh, she hoped for the proverbial rain clouds to split and for the sun to shine down upon the quaint little town once again.
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