Two key Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties – Umno and MCA – are eager to battle it out in Raub, Pahang, in the upcoming 15th General Election.
Umno seems to have a better shot at reclaiming the parliamentary seat which BN lost, for the first time, in 2013.
MCA may be able to convince Umno to pull out from the race, only if the party fields a local candidate.
However, its vice-president, Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker, who grew up in Kampung Sempalit, Raub, will most likely be tasked with slugging it out in Kuantan.
It is understood that MCA is planning to field an “outsider”, which may work against it in its quest to reclaim the seat which was occupied by MCA’s former vice-president, Tan Sri Ng Yen Yen.
“If Ti or any young local candidate is fielded, then MCA stands a fighting chance. Otherwise, the party might as well give it (the Raub seat) to Umno,” said a party insider.
“There are no two ways about it, there’s no need to waste anyone’s time.”
Ng served as Raub’s BN parliamentarian for three consecutive terms (1999-2013).
Raub fell to the opposition for the first time in 2013 after DAP’s Datuk Ariff Sabri Abdul Aziz won with a majority of 2,814 votes.
In the 14th General Election, DAP retained the seat after its representative, Tengku Zulpuri Shah Raja Puji, won with 20,659 votes. MCA’s Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun secured 17,500 votes.
Raub’s demographics, based on the last general election, showed that the Malays made up 52.07 per cent of its 57,723 registered voters. There were 38.11 per cent Chinese voters, while Indian voters made up 6.15 per cent.
MCA secretary-general Datuk Chong Sin Woon is linked to the Raub seat. He has set up an office in Raub and has been “active” in the area in recent times.
However, the Anak Raub Association, an organisation set up by a locals to promote closer ties among those who hail from the district, believes it has sniffed out Chong’s real intentions in being in Raub, and had objected to his appointment as chairman of MCA’s special committee to look into the illegal durian plantation saga.
The association, in a statement last year, said that Chong’s appointment was politically motivated and alleged that he has “other intentions”.
Chong, a Negeri Sembilan native, lost to DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke in the Seremban parliamentary seat in GE14.
Loke, last week, had said that the party would field more Malay candidates in its bid to win Malay votes in Malay-majority seats.
Besides Raub, DAP has several Malay representatives elsewhere, including Tanjung Bungah assemblyman Zairil Khir Johari, Tebing Tinggi assemblyman Abdul Aziz Bari, and Ketari assemblyman Young Syefura Othman.
Many are also anticipating Young Syefura to contest the Bentong parliamentary seat. If given the mandate, she will face former MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.
Liow was the incumbent MP for Bentong since 2008 but lost the seat to DAP’s Wong Tack in the 2018 general election. Certain quarters wondered if Liow would be given the seat, as his victory could threaten the current MCA leadership.
MCA president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong, in a statement yesterday, said MCA fully supported Liow in his quest to reclaim Bentong.
“MCA in fact, had made this decision to support Liow’s candidacy a year-and-a-half ago, and he is the most qualified MCA candidate for the P089 Bentong constituency,” Wee added.
