IN Bentong, Pahang, former minister Lim Ah Lek has been making the rounds.

No, a political comeback is not on the cards for the MCA veteran who was the Bentong MP from 1989 till 1999.

He is there to shore up support for his protege, MCA president Liow Tiong Lai, who will find it a tough fight defending the seat which has been held by the party since 1958.

Lim is not the only veteran who has had to come out of retirement and campaign for the party candidates in GE14. Gerakan has also put former Penang chief minister Koh Tsu Koon on the campaign trail.

Political commentators told Malaysia Decides this was to make the older voters who had a connection with the old MCA and Gerakan leaders feel obliged to vote for the corresponding party.

But the strategy of deploying party veterans in the electoral battleground might not be effective, said political commentator Phoon Wing Keong.

Their mobilisation of old politicians was an indication the parties had lacked new leaders with charisma.

“It reflects poorly on MCA’s leadership. For the election strategy, naming of candidates, managing the party machinery, they have to depend on the elders,” Phoon said.

It is understood the SOS to Lim to help the Bentong incumbent, on the ground went out recently. Liow’s campaign videos show the two of them visiting farmers and talking about MCA’s contribution to the constituency.

In GE13, Liow defeated the DAP candidate but three of the four state seats in the constituency are held by DAP.

It is learnt the MCA leadership has also asked former deputy president Chan Kong Choy, former vice-president Wong See Wah, former MCA treasurer Lau Yin Pin for help with the party’s national machinery.

On nomination day last Saturday, Negri Sembilan MCA had several party elders give speeches at an event marking the start of the campaign period.

In Penang, former Gerakan president and former Penang chief minister Dr Koh Tsu Koon has returned to the front lines to help canvass for votes, accompanying Penang Gerakan chairman Teng Chang Yeow on visits to the constituents where they reminisce about Penang’s “glory days” under BN.

But political commentator Tang Ah Chai said these former leaders represented parties that had been largely rejected in the last two general elections.

“Koh was Penang chief minister for 18 years, but at the end of the day BN was annihilated in the state.

Phoon said it was debatable the party veterans would win over elderly Chinese voters.

“If these leaders left the political arena because they were voted out, where’s the appeal in that?” he said. – May 3, 2018.