Teluk Intan folk want BN’s Mah to stay on

However, the older residents fear younger voters may be looking for a change.

A billboard of BN candidate Mah Siew Keong, who is popular in Teluk Intan.

TELUK INTAN: Mah Siew Keong, the Barisan Nasional (BN) incumbent for Teluk Intan, appears well respected in the area especially by the older generation.

Residents whom FMT spoke to thought highly of him and praised him for the development he had brought to Teluk Intan.

Baker Tan Boon Cheng, 54, said: “I love to hear this man’s name. He has brought so many beneficial changes to this place.”

Tan said the opposition on the other hand rarely showed up, adding: “They will only show their faces when the election is coming, and that is useless.

“I will definitely vote for Mah. But I am afraid of the younger ones who have gone out of here to find jobs, as many of them will vote for the opposition regardless of whether it really benefits the locals or not.”

Safura Ayub, 49, is very fond of Mah’s approachable attitude. “That’s what makes us Teluk Intan people love him dearly.”

Safura said she had often seen Mah going to the ground, attending open houses and even walking around town to chat with people at the night market.

“He is a very humble and committed leader,” she said, adding that she wanted Mah to retain his MP position as there were many things he could do to address the local problems.

She said the opposition did not do any work in the area and the local opposition leaders had not established any bond with residents.

Reyansh Kumar, who owns a barbershop near the famous Leaning Tower, said Mah understood the local people and their needs.

“It might be because he is a local boy, so he shares the same sentiments.”

However, Reyansh said the chances of Mah retaining the seat were 50-50, as he had noticed some people shifting their support to the opposition.

He said the younger residents wanted a change and did not see things the way the older generation did.

Mah has been contesting the Teluk Intan seat since 1999.

He lost to DAP’s Seah Leong Peng in the 2013 general election but won the seat in 2014 after a by-election necessitated by Seah’s death. He beat DAP’s Dyana Sofea with a slim majority of 238 votes.

In the May 9 polls, Mah will be defending the seat against DAP’s Nga Kor Ming, who was two-term MP for Taiping, and PAS’ Ahmad Ramadzan Ahmad Daud. -FMT