‘Capturing Kajang near mission impossible’

The MCA candidate for the Kajang by-election Chew Mei Fun denies she is being used as a sacrificial lamb and says she wants to serve the people.

KAJANG: MCA vice president Chew Mei Fun is adamant that she is not her party’s sacrificial lamb but in the same breath she says that capturing Kajang may be a near mission impossible.

Putting up a brave front in an interview  with FMT she said: “You think MCA only contests to lose? We want to try and make it happen (to win the by-election) even though it may be a mission impossible,” she said.

“We can’t stop people from thinking that I may be used as a scapegoat, but most MCA members are not afraid of defeat in any election,” said Chew at the MCA service centre in Taman Berjaya, Sungai Chua today.

“In politics, one must always take up the challenge to serve the people. If you want a safe seat, then it would be better to go into business or get a salaried job.”

“We are here to serve the people,” said Chew who is also the Penang MCA chief and Wangsa Maju MCA central delegate member.

She said this in response to views that she had been made MCA’s sacrificial lamb as the general sentiment in Kajang is strongly in favour of PKR candidate, Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Chew said that she was encouraged to contest for the Kajang seat based on the support and encouragement she received from MCA grassroot members.

MCA’s campaign to woo voters began with Chew meeting the Chinese voters during the day and the Malay voters in the evening, with Umno’s support and assistance.

Chew downplayed MIC president G Palanivel’s call for the Kajang MIC to abstain from campaigning in Kajang as it was a foregone conclusion that PKR would win the by-election.

“I don’t want to comment on that. They (the Kajang MIC branches) are helping us to organize events for us to meet with the Indian voters,” said Chew.

Last Friday, Bukit Gelugor MIC division chief K Loganathan revealed that Palanivel who is Natural Resources and Environment Minister had instructed Kajang MIC members not to campaign as BN would lose the by-election.

“He should not be permitted to campaign in the Kajang by-elections …10% Indian voters could be a decisive factor in this election.

“Palanivel on Feb 21 told Kajang MIC members that BN will lose the by-election. It is totally unacceptable that he leads the MIC election operation in this by-election,” Loganathan is quoted as saying.

The Kajang state seat fell vacant following the resignation of incumbent assemblymen Lee Chin Cheh of PKR on Jan 27. The Election Commission has fixed March 23 for polling and March 11 as the nomination date. Early polling would be held on March 19.

The state seat comprises 39,728 registered voters. At the last general election in May, 2013, the seat saw a voter turnout of 87.9% with 541 spoilt votes.

It has 48% Malay voters, Chinese 41%, Indian 10% and others 1%.