IT will be a close fight in Teluk Intan between Gerakan president Mah Siew Keong and Perak DAP chief Nga Kor Ming, both of whom have loyal supporters in the town best known for its leaning tower.

Born and bred in Teluk Intan, Mah is well-loved by many constituents, who are grateful to him for resolving local issues, such as floods, and bringing in infrastructure development.

His supporters cite an under-construction university campus and an exit point to the West Coast Expressway, from Taiping to Banting, as among the incumbent’s achievements.

Retired nurse Tham Fee Kim began campaigning for Mah long before nomination day.

“He (Mah) is very good. If he wins, he can make sure that the projects are completed,” said the 61-year-old.

Tham and her friends accompanied Mah to a luncheon with 500 villagers in Kg Baru Batu 12 this afternoon.

Villager Foo Don Hoe, 59, who is a Gerakan member, said he will vote for Mah no matter what.

“I will never change (my vote).”

Both voters, however, said caretaker prime minister Najib Razak’s negative image will work against their chosen candidate in the May 9 polls.

Mah won the parliamentary seat in 1999 and 2004. In the 2008 and 2013 general elections, he was defeated by DAP candidates, but in the 2014 by-election, he was able to wrest the seat by a slim margin of 238 votes.

However, those from low-income households, who are struggling with the rising cost of living, will likely vote against him.

D. Kannan, a welder who earns RM1,000 a month, said he and his wife hope that Pakatan Harapan will lower living costs.

“My two children are still studying. If the prices of goods come down, we can save more to buy our own land and house,” he told Malaysia Decides.

“PH said they will abolish the goods and services tax and toll charges, and stabilise petrol prices. The RM1,500 minimum wage is huge. I’m willing to give them five years,” said the PKR member.

He said most Indians in the constituency are employed as oil palm estate workers, earning RM1,000 or less.

“Life is getting tougher for them, too.”

Teluk Intan has 66,487 voters, comprising 41% Malays, Chinese (40%) and Indians (19%).

Tham and Kannan said door-to-door campaigning has shown that there is equal support for Mah and Nga among constituents. – May 6, 2018.