SERI SETIA POLLS | In her ongoing campaign against Harapan candidate Halimey Abu Bakar, PAS' Dr Halimah Ali has set her sights on gaining support from the urban poor communities, many of whom are living in the People's Housing Project (PPR).
Having lived in the 17-storey Lembah Subang PPR building since it was first opened in 2001, 64-year-old Mohamad Zainuddin said he believes the time has come for PAS to unite with Umno against a common cause.
"Now, in this current circumstances, they (PAS and Umno) must unite. We cannot just let them (the government) be.
"The one leading the country now, we know he has cheated us. Not like we don't know who he is," said Mohamad, a PAS member, when asked for comments on the party's current close ties with Umno.
Aside from repeating claims that the Harapan government has failed to deliver a bulk of its 100-day promises, Mohamad further insisted that more must be done to assist the PPR dwellers.
Among others, he suggested that the current government should extend a rent-to-own policy first introduced by the BN government to Lembah Subang PPR residents.
"How are we to improve our situation if we can only continue to pay rent?," said Mohamad (photo below), adding that the RM124 monthly rental could be converted into an instalment to eventually own their three-bedroom unit.
Prior to the 14th general elections, former Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government minister Noh Omar in March said all original tenants of PPRs nationwide would be offered a chance to own a unit priced at RM35,000 in the peninsula and RM42,000 in Sabah and Sarawak, through the rent-to-own scheme.
'No more absent representatives'
Another long-term resident, Ahmad Awang, 60, said that the newly elected Seri Setia state assemblyperson must make regular visits to the area in order to resolve their problems.
"We are not expecting them to come every day but they have to fulfil their responsibilities," said Ahmad (photo) who has lived at the PPR for 18 years.
"Whoever wins, we want them to come here regularly. Not just to campaign," he said, adding that Halimey as a former PJ city councillor, was also a familiar face in the area.
Their litany of woes includes a lack of building maintenance, uncollected rubbish, and a blocked sewerage system.
"Just today the water was cut and only came back on at 5pm. This always happens here.
"We have been promised that it would be fixed but we will see. We don't want the promises to remain as promises," he said.
Over the years, Ahmad said that the same situation of an absent elected representative had occurred during times of both BN and Pakatan Harapan.
Stall owner Mohd Raya Ali (photo), 40, as such said their main hope was to elect a candidate who could hear their grouses and raise it to the relevant authorities.
"I know Seri Setia is a big area but surely they can come once a month? Maybe to attend our monthly meeting?
"But so far no. It has only been one-off visits and then they are absent for months, so our problems never get resolved," he said.
On the impact of PAS cooperation with Umno, Mohd Raya said he believes there could be a swing of support against PKR among voters who view the combination as a formidable opposition force.
"The percentage of votes for PKR may be reduced...There might even be a chance that PAS can win," he said, in crediting Halimah as a credible and experienced candidate.
'No stranger to hardships'
Meanwhile, Halimah earlier told the residents that she is no stranger to their hardships, through her volunteer work as a doctor for various aid missions.
"During the Aceh tsunami, I stayed with the victims in their tents. This time after the Lombok earthquake I was unable to volunteer.
"Maybe that is one of the reasons PAS fielded me. Because I'm no stranger to hardships," she told reporters after distributing meat to 30 residents in conjunction with the Hari Raya Aidiladha celebrations.
In GE14, Umno and PAS secured 14,441 votes against PKR's 29,250 votes, from a total 52,650 ballots cast.
The Sept 8 by-election is brought about by the passing of incumbent Shaharuddin Badaruddin on Aug 2.
Shaharuddin won the seat in GE14 against BN candidate Yusoff M Haniff; Mohd Ghazali Daud of PAS and independent candidate S Vigneswaran. -Mkini
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