MCA and Gerakan – rivals from Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) respectively – will attempt to break Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) monopoly in Kuala Lumpur in the next general election, party insiders said.

MCA is expected to contest five traditional seats – Cheras, Seputeh, Bukit Bintang, Wangsa Maju and Bandar Tun Razak – and an additional three.

Gerakan, meanwhile, had previously contested in Segambut, Kepong and Batu when it was still with BN.

It is, however, an uphill task for both parties as the seats they seek, while predominantly Chinese, are PH strongholds.

There are 11 seats in Kuala Lumpur and 10 of them are held by the opposition parties – DAP (5) and PKR (5). The other is held by Bersatu.

DAP’s Tan Kok Wai has the Cheras seat since 1995 while Fong Kui Lun (DAP) has held the Bukit Bintang seat since 1999.

In Kepong, Lim Lip Eng (DAP) replaced veteran Tan Seng Giaw (DAP), who was an eight-term MP for the constituency.

Meanwhile, Teresa Kok (DAP) has served as an MP for Seputeh for five terms since 1999.

To take on PH in Segambut, MCA has appointed its Segambut chairman, Daniel Ling Sia Chin, the coordinator. It has not selected a coordinator for Kepong.

The party has also appointed its Wangsa Maju division chairman, Ng How Do, the acting chairman of the Federal Territory (FT) joint committee and the Wangsa Maju district committee and division chairman.

The other two coordinators are Bukit Bintang division chairman Ng Chin Xiu and Seputeh division secretary Lee Kah Hing.

MCA sources said Umno is vying for the Wangsa Maju and Bandar Tun Razak seats, but the Chinese party has plans for Bandar Tun Razak division chairman Chew Yin Keen to be the coordinator for the constituency.

At the last general election, MCA gave the Bandar Tun Razak seat to Umno, only for it to lose against PKR candidate Kamarudin Jaffar.

As for the Batu seat, which was previously contested by Gerakan, this will be given to MIC, sources said.

“The coordinators are now actively on the ground and are looking for the best candidates for each constituency,” they said.

“Umno may not be able to win all the constituencies it contests in as there are factors like first-time voters that we need to consider.

“We also have to think about whether the incumbent PH candidates will contest, and if so, whether there is a need to substitute candidates to win.”

Young voters on the fence

FT MCA liaison committee chairman Nicole Wong Siaw Ting said with the Covid-19 pandemic, the political climate, economy, Undi18 and automatic voter registration, PH may not be able to continue its winning streak.

This is because MCA has been on the ground working with the people during the pandemic, she said.

“During the pandemic, our volunteers worked hard to help the people, even in areas that we lost in the last general election. So, we hope this will help us this time.”

On top of that, she said, during PH’s 22 months in government, the coalition did not fulfil its manifesto, disappointing its supporters.

With the implementation of Undi18 and automatic voter registration, which saw 5.72 million voters added to the electoral roll, Wong said it is not known how these first-time voters will vote.

“The situation on the ground has changed. Young voters are watching what we are doing, and we will continue to fight for every vote,” she said.

Wong said MCA has appointed coordinators in Cheras, Seputeh, Bukit Bintang, Wangsa Maju and Bandar Tun Razak while Gerakan’s former seats will be decided by BN.

Gerakan to focus on one constituency

FT Gerakan chief Mak Koh Keong said after joining the Muhyiddin Yassin-led PN, the party might only focus on one seat – Kepong – in the polls.

“As long as we put all our energy into winning one seat, our confidence to contest in other constituencies in the future will be higher,” he said.

However, he said whether the party will run for one or three seats has not been finalised.

Mak also agreed that youth are the unknown factor for Gerakan and PN in the polls.

“These young and first-time voters may not come out to cast their ballot, but PN will try to convince them.

“PN’s track record for 17 months shows that it has good economic plans that benefit the people.”

Mak said not all urban voters will support PH given their less-than-stellar 22 months in office. – October 5, 2022.