YONG PENG: Voters here stand to benefit if they choose an elected representative who has been around and is always ready to serve, said Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.
In a captivating and powerfully worded endorsement of Ling Tian Soon’s candidacy for Yong Peng in the state election, the MCA president said “yuan shui bu neng jiu jin huo (distant water won’t put out a fire close by).”
“Let’s not go for someone from afar and forgo the one who has always been around. Choose the one who is close by and available, not someone who is parachuted and knows little about the place,” he said in his speech during the maiden campaigning programme for Ling with Barisan Nasional grassroots here yesterday.
Ling, 38, who is known as Ah Soon in his campaign, will be in a three-cornered fight against Susan Yong from Gerakan (Perikatan Nasional) and Alan Tee Boon Tsong from DAP (Pakatan Harapan) in Yong Peng, one of the hot seats that MCA is contesting.
In the last general election, Ling lost to DAP’s Chew Peck Choo with a 5,089 majority. Chew recently announced her retirement from politics to focus on her family.
Dr Wee said Ling has been working with him for the past 12 years and described him as a “rare gem and sheer talent”.
“Despite losing more than 5,000 votes in the last general election on May 9, 2018, Ah Soon said to me a week later that he would not dwell in sadness or give up, but would keep fighting.
“He told me we would rise from where we fall. This is the youthful spirit of wanting to serve the people.
“After four years now, it is time we throw our support behind him,” he said, adding that people can judge Ling based on his service throughout the years.
Dr Wee noted that Ling was a budding leader who always has the interest of the people at heart.
“This is apparent especially when he relocated his wife and young child in Terengganu to keep them safe with his in-laws when the Covid-19 pandemic began while he stayed and continued serving Yong Peng, especially when there was an outbreak of clusters.”
From helping the poor and underprivileged, volunteering at the public sanitising team to assisting flood victims in Taman Sri Muda in Shah Alam last year, Dr Wee said Ling was the kind of leader who could bring change in Yong Peng.
“Let’s give Ah Soon a chance. Yong Peng can be taken care of by a leader who is approachable and around.
“It is for us to choose a stable state government, a working team with good leaders who will bring the people’s voices to the state assembly regardless of racial background.
“This is especially important while we head towards economic and social recovery after two years of the Covid-19 pandemic,” he added.
In a separate press conference later, Dr Wee said MCA has adopted the “steady and practical” approach in campaigning for all the seats it is contesting.
“The next two weeks are crucial. Having learnt from the previous general election, voters’ sentiment can change in a short time. So, we must not be over-confident. We must remain alert, as any issues can sway the election results,” he said.
Dr Wee, who is also Ayer Hitam MP, said he would be campaigning for all 15 MCA candidates, including giving support at some Barisan seats, such as Semarang, which is under his Ayer Hitam parliamentary constituency.