THE late Tg Piai MP Dr Md Farid Md Rafik’s soft-spoken approach was a main factor in turning the support of Kukup fishermen to Pakatan Harapan in the last general election, said locals.

PH faced a tough challenge penetrating the fishermen’s village in Kukup during GE14 as majority of them were staunch Barisan Nasional supporters, they said.

A Kg Melayu Kukup resident, who wants to be known only as Helme, recalled how he marched with the late Tg Piai parliamentarian during the campaign period in the last general election.

“We marched from Pekan Kukup to the bus station terminal with 50 people carrying flags while chanting ‘abolish GST’ and ‘long live Pakatan Harapan’. We were also wearing Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s face mask.

“We purposely made some noise so that the people in the area realise we (PH supporters) are there. In those days, politicians did not care about Kukup. After our campaign, PH leaders started came into this village,” said Helme when met at his home recently.

“The sentiment against BN was even stronger in Tg Piai when Farid, who was Bersatu Tg Piai’s deputy division chief, won the seat in GE14.”

The medical practitioner from Serkat defeated two-term incumbent Wee Jeck Seng from MCA/BN by 500 votes.

He joined Dr Mahathir’s cabinet as a deputy minister.

“After he became the deputy minister, he was never arrogant or neglected us here. When we met him, there was no protocol. We were like a family.

“I have always seen him on TV standing next to Dr Mahathir, I was proud to have a friend who was a deputy minister,” said Helme.

Farid, however, could not serve Tg Piai long enough. He died at 42 in September from a heart attack.

Before his death, Farid was able to propose 17 new development projects for Tg Piai voters worth RM14.75 million.

These include the construction of three jetties in Jeram Batu in Pekan Nanas, Sg Boh in Air Masin and Parit Penghulu in Serkat. Each jetty costs RM1 million.

Other than that, RM200,000 was allocated for the Persatuan Nelayan Kawasan (PNK). The fund was meant to upgrade the Jetty Nelayan in Kg Melayu Kukup.

All projects have received a green light before the by-election on November 16.

Abdul Latif Johari, a fisherman from Kukup, is grateful as the jetty is finally fixed and repaired.

He said the old jetty was a hazard.

“I am thankful and happy with the jetty being fixed. The jetty was old and the wood rotting. The new jetty can be used for another 10 years at least.”

Kg Melayu head Hasbullah Malek told The Malaysian Insight that the jetty is used by 40 fishermen who live nearby.

“Our application was handed to Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Salahudin Ayub. He approved it and we can go to the sea feeling safe now.”

The upgrade work is being done simultaneously with the campaign period in the by-election which started last Saturday.

“I can still remember Farid’s last words to me. He wanted us to stick together and not be divided,” said Helme.

The PH candidate is Bersatu Tg Piai division chief Karmaine Sardini, 66, who faces a six-cornered fight, including Barisan Jemaah Islamiah Se-Malaysia (Berjasa) president, Badrulhisham Abdul Aziz, 56; Gerakan deputy secretary general, Wendy Subramaniam, 38; and two independents, Ang Chuan Lock, 39, and Faridah Aryani Abd Ghaffar, 43. – November 6, 2019.