DESPITE Titiwangsa being a marginal seat that Barisan Nasional narrowly won in 2013, voters here say they will study the candidate and not the party.

Ishak Isa, said he has lived through three changes in parties in the federal seat and added that people here were more concerned with the candidate rather than the party.

“Take Astaman (Abdul Aziz’s) time when Barisan Nasional was in power. He didn’t do much during his time, that was why the candidate changed to (PAS’ Dr) Lo’ Lo’ (Mohamad Ghazali),” the 70-year-old told The Malaysian Insight when met at a Federal Territory Day meet-the-people session with the seat’s incumbent Johari Abdul Ghani.

BN’s Astaman was Titiwangsa MP from 2004 to 2008. The late Dr Lo’Lo won the seat in 2008 and died in 2011. Johari, who is now Second Finance Minister, took the seat back for BN in 2013 by a narrow margin of 866 votes.

Ishak said Dr Lo’ Lo’ had done a great job addressing bread and butter issues of the Titiwangsa community, as Johari was now doing.

“So we gave Johari a chance, and he proved himself well. He helped us with land problems, acquiring licenses and also by having kenduri (community feasts) to bring everyone together here in Titiwangsa,” said Ishak from Kampung Pandan.

Johari addressed Titiwangsa voters today at the annual Kenduri 1Wilayah Persekutuan. He recounted his track record, reminding those present that he had managed to solve land inheritance issues in Kampung Pandan Indah.

“I have managed to solve an issue that has plagued Kampung Pandan Indah for more than 40 years.”

“And I was told today by the Federal Territories Ministry that they have agreed to see how to save this land and to classify this as a heritage site for Kampung Pandan Indah,” he said at today’s event, where Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor was also present.

Johari said with the new land title, another issue of land requested by the Chapel of Our Lady of Good Health in Kampung Pandan had also been resolved.

“I also want to inform that the church in Kampung Pandan has thanked the FT ministry that when they solved the land inheritance problem, they have also solved the land issue where the church is currently located,” he said.

Another Titiwangsa voter, Omar Alif Sazali, 33, said Johari had been a good MP and had changed his perception of BN candidates.

“I am still sceptical about Barisan Nasional but in the next general election, I will be voting for Johari because he understands the needs of the Titiwangsa people like me,” said Omar from Kampung Keramat.

“I think that BN may retain the seat with Johari’s help. The opposition are more about national issues, whereas people like us only worry about the food in our mouth,” he said.

Johari is a regular in the area, setting aside time every Friday, for a meet-the-people session at the community service centre in Desa Pandan.

Titiwangsa comprises of 68% Malays, 20% Chinese and 10% Indians. – February 3, 2018.