GEORGE TOWN: Gerakan president Mah Siew Keong is certain to be named as Barisan Nasional candidate in Teluk Intan by-election barring an 11th hour change.
It is learnt BN had only shortlisted the 53-year-old politician as its sole candidate based on his political credentials and service track record.
Given that Teluk Intan had been his hometown and he has many family members, relatives and friends residing there, sources said Mah was the only candidate seen capable of regaining Teluk Intan for BN.
“BN leadership believed Mah would be the best Gerakan candidate to win the seat. He is well-known to the constituents.
“His family roots are from Teluk Intan. He had good reputation and remarkable service record in the constituency.
“He has an equal chance of winning the seat against any candidate,” said sources.
Mah was formerly a two-term Teluk Intan MP (1999-2008), deputy minister, Gerakan youth chief (2002-2008) and acting Gerakan secretary-general.
Even though he lost in the 2008 and 2013 general elections to DAP candidates, Gerakan insiders said Mah continued to spend his own money, time and energy to serve Teluk Intan constituents remarkably for past six years.
“He is a people’s MP. Unfortunately, people were influenced by sentiments falsely generated by Pakatan Rakyat in the last two elections. This time could be different,” said a hopeful local Gerakan leader.
Teluk Intan a mixed federal seat
In 2008 general election, DAP’s M Manogaran defeated Mah with majority 1,470 votes in a straight fight. Manogaran garnered 18,486 votes against Mah’s 17,016.
In 2013, DAP’s Seah Leong Peng defeated Mah and independent candidate K Moralingam in a three-cornered fight.
Seah drew 27,399 voters to score a majority of 7,313 votes against Mah, who got 20,086 votes and Moralingam, who received 279 votes.
The Teluk Intan by-election is being called following death of Seah, 48, due to cancer on May 1. Nomination is on May 19 and polling is on May 31, giving contestants a 12-day election campaign.
Teluk Intan will be the second parliamentary and sixth by-election to be held in since the May 2013 general election.
The other five by-elections were state seats of Kuala Besut in Terengganu on July 24 and Sungai Limau in Kedah on Nov 4 (both 2013), Kajang in Selangor on March 23 and Balingian in Sarawak on March 29; and the on-going Bukit Gelugor federal seat in Penang on May 25 (all 2014).
Teluk Intan is a mixed federal seat with sizeable presence of all major communities.
According to Election Commission data in the 13th general election, Teluk Intan had 60,349 voters comprising 25,310 or 41.94% Chinese, 23,301 or 38.61% Malays, 11,468 or 19% Indians and the rest others.
The constituency also had more women voters with 31,049 or 51.45% compared with man 29,300 or 48.55%.
Tonic for Gerakan
Penang Gerakan chief Teng Chang Yeow, who lost to Mah for the Gerakan presidency in last October party election, has already declared the state liaison committee’s full support to the Gerakan president’s candidature.
It’s learnt that Penang Gerakan would send about 100 supporters to back Mah during the nomination day.
All Penang Gerakan leaders have been mobilised to campaign for Mah.
“It’s about the party, BN and political leadership, not about individual personalities,” said an insider.
Gerakan of course is in desperate need to revive its flagging fortunes. In the last general election, the party won one federal seat in Simpang Renggam, through Liang Teck Meng.
BN sources calculated that if Mah can woo 30-35% Chinese and, 60% Malay and Indian voters, Gerakan could well add on another parliament seat. That’s the perfect tonic an ailing Gerakan desperately needs now.
