Kuala Langat voters weary and wary as polling nears

 

Candidates from five parties and an independent are vying to be the new MP for Kuala Langat. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LANGAT: After voting in the last few general elections, J Yong, 54, and S Ravi, 55, have been left jaded by the electoral process, particularly over unfulfilled promises of politicians who were previously elected.

When asked today about the six candidates eyeing the seat on Nov 19, they were less than enthusiastic.

“There is no difference between the old MP and a new MP,” said shopkeeper Yong, referring to Dr Xavier Jayakumar, who was elected here on a Pakatan Harapan ticket in 2018 but quit the coalition to be an independent MP in March 2021.

Yong, a native of Banting, said his choice will be based on the best candidate, even if he was left disappointed by his choice in 2018.

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S Ravi.

Ravi, a tailor, said: “For a change, I am hoping it will be someone who will take care of the rakyat and not make empty promises.”

Other residents of Morib and Teluk Panglima Garang were equally disillusioned over politicians who only visit their small towns during elections.

J Mani, a Morib resident of 14 years, links the election campaign period to the tarring of the main road in front of her shop.

“During the election campaign, they will tar the road, but prior to this “lubang pun tak layan”, she said, referring to potholes left unattended at other times.

Ravi K.

Ravi K, 55, of Teluk Panglima Garang, said he had not seen much improvement in his area under the previous MP and did not expect much from the next one either.

“The candidates tend to focus on the bigger towns like Banting, we are insignificant to them. It would be nice if they bothered to remember us. That’s all we need sometimes.”

Some of the younger voters here admitted they were not familiar with the candidates contesting in Kuala Langat.

Iqmal M, 19, and S Geetha, 22, said they would do their own research prior to voting. “I will Google them and then decide,” Geetha said.

Iqmal M.

However, Iqmal said he could recognise the candidates even if he did not know all their names. “I will look for them on social media before I vote,“ he said.

The Kuala Langat contest is a six-way fight between Mohana Muniandy of Barisan Nasional, G Manivannan (Pakatan Harapan), Ridzuan Abdullah (Pejuang), Ahmad Yunus Hairi (Perikatan Nasional), M Ganeskumar (Parti Rakyat Malaysia), and independent Zanariah Jumhuri.

At the 2018 general election, the seat was won by Xavier (PH-PKR) with a 17,000-vote majority over candidates from Barisan Nasional and PAS. - FMT