TANJUNG PIAI POLLS | Umno and PAS leaders may have declared that the Tanjung Piai by-election will be a litmus test for their Muafakat Nasional pact but for the candidate they are backing, MCA's Wee Jeck Seng, it is not a topic he wants to weigh into.
Likewise, Wee, who is contesting under the BN banner, said he believes Tanjung Piai voters make up a harmonious community that does not always engage in topics of race and religion.
Wee, in an interview with the Chinese press at the constituency today, was asked how he is to justify the Umno and PAS cooperation that often carries racial and religious undertones if he is asked to do so by Chinese voters.
However, Wee said they have never raised the issue.
"My voters have been very kind to me. They have never asked about these," he said laughingly.
"Because they know that (what is important) is not these issues," he added.
Wee declined to go into detail about the cooperation between Umno and PAS but stressed that he welcomed support from all parties.
"Every vote counts. As long as there are votes for me, I will be very happy. It doesn't matter from which party it comes from," he added.
Wee (above) said cooperation is possible as long as the opposition parties share common interests, pointing out that rival DAP too is cooperating with Amanah, a splinter party of PAS.
"MCA's position is very simple - as long as it complies with the spirit of the Federal Constitution," he said.
While PAS does not have an official pact with MCA, it is in an alliance with Umno through the Muafakat Nasional alliance and has therefore adopted a friendly approach to Umno's BN allies.
Pressed if the Umno-PAS pact was not an issue for Tanjung Piai, Wee replied: "It is not about whether it is an issue or not, it is just a matter of opinion... There is no need to complicate matters with side issues and it is not something to talk about".
Steering clear of race and religion
In the interview, Wee also made it a point to steer clear of racial and religious issues.
For example, Wee was asked to respond to Kedah PAS commissioner Ahmad Yahaya, who in supporting Wee, described the latter as a "Chinese selling Malay products".
Ahmad had contrasted this to Wee's Bersatu opponent Karmaine Sardini whom he said was like a product using the name of Malays and Islam but is actually owned by non-Muslims.
To this, Wee said there was no need for a response.
"Our constituency is very harmonious. Regardless of whether it is the Chinese, Malays, people of a different religion or 'Bangsa Johor', everyone lives in harmony and does not always talk about religion.
"Everyone can have an opinion, I don't need to respond to them," he said.
Wee said people in Tanjung Piai, regardless of race or religion, is a friend to him.
In contrast, he said it is the message coming out from the government that carries the most weight.
Therefore, Wee said statements coming out from last month Malay Dignity Congress, which was attended by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad (photo), were concerning.
Among them, he said, was the call to close down vernacular schools.
"The government is the one that is in power and can make decisions," he said.
Wee added that the participation of public universities in the event would not be possible without the government's endorsement.
'Ensuring Harapan keeps its promises'
Wee, who was the Tanjung Piai MP from 2008 until 2018, said he has always served the welfare of the constituents there.
Admitting that resources are now limited as BN is no longer in the federal government, he has sought to continue providing welfare assistance.
Wee said when he was previously the MP, he would distribute free rice and cooking oil to 5,400 poor families every three months.
He added that this was on top of helping them with the proper paperwork to get government assistance.
Wee said even if he wins the Tanjung Piai by-election as an opposition MP, he can work to ensure the Pakatan Harapan government fulfil the slew of announcements it has made for the constituency and that they do not remain as mere promises.
He promised he will try to wrest the seat from Bersatu, whose incumbent MP Md Farid Md Rafik passed away from a heart attack in September.
In the last general election, Farid garnered 21,255 votes against Wee, who received 20,731 votes, winning by a 524-vote margin.
Four other candidates will vie for the seat, namely Berjasa's Badhrulhisham Abdul Aziz, Gerakan's Wendy Subramaniam and independent candidates Ang Chuan Lock and Faridah Aryani Abd Ghaffar.
Campaigning for the Tanjung Piai by-election officially began yesterday and voters will go to the polls on Nov 16.
Yesterday, Umno vice-president Khaled Nordin said the by-election will be a litmus test for the Umno-PAS cooperation as well as whether Bersatu can truly be a voice for the Malays.
-Mkini
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