MCA’S hold on Tanjung Malim hinges on whether it can make a reality voters’ long-unfulfilled wish – land titles for those who have toiled there since before Merdeka.

Despite the party’s seeming confidence going into the 14th general election, the dominant sentiment among Chinese voters in the constituency – one of only seven federal seats MCA defended in 2013 – remains pro-change.

From Slim River to Bidor, Chinese new villagers whom Malaysia Decides spoke to are concerned about the country’s direction under Barisan Nasional rule.

They also said MCA has failed to secure land tenures for their decades-old homes, temples, vegetable farms and orchards, and they remember that the now defunct Pakatan Rakyat had awarded land titles to Chinese new villages in Perak before the 2009 coup.

“What has (incumbent) Ong (Ka Chuan) done for us? My grandmother worked this land since before Merdeka, and until my generation, we still cannot get a land title. Why should we vote BN again?” said an orchard owner from Kg Baru Kuala Bikam in her 30s.

A female Chinese voter from Sungkai, met on Thursday at a Pakatan Harapan ceramah in Tamil in the backwater town, said she earns only RM900 a month.

The mother of three said her husband has to go to Johor Baru to work as a lorry driver, and he makes between RM4,000 and RM5,000 a month.

“Wages here start at between RM900 and RM1,500 for a clerk, but the price for a single-storey terrace house starts at RM200,000. Don’t think it’s easy for us because it’s a small town. Things need to change.”

Slightly more than a quarter of the 68,634 voters in Tanjung Malim are Chinese. More than half are Malays, Indians (13%) and Orang Asli (5.9%).

Although the Chinese electorate voted against BN in 2008 and 2013, Felda settlers helped MCA secretary-general Ong win the seat.

MCA targets to win 15 federal seats in the elections, and Tanjung Malim is one of them. Perak MCA chief and caretaker state executive councillor Dr Mah Hang Soon is BN’s candidate this time.

Caretaker deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has hinted that Dr Mah will be made a cabinet minister if he retains the seat for the ruling coalition.

Dr Mah has promised to resolve local land issues. However, residents are unimpressed.

When canvassing support in Kg Baru Bidor on Thursday, he asked elderly Chinese new villagers to back MCA for a strong Chinese representation in the cabinet – but received a lukewarm response.

In his speech, he made no mention of BN’s corruption scandals or the rising cost of living.

Down the street from the community hall where the MCA dinner was held, locals at kopitiam complained about the goods and services tax.

“Do you know how many businesses here have closed down because of GST? They said prices will come down after GST. Where got?” said a middle-aged night-market trader. – May 4, 2018.