ELECTION WATCH (4): Cili padi MP Opts Out

When MP for Batu Gajah hit the frontpages of most newspapers yesterday, YL Chong was not surprised at all. No, not when an independent minded and principled Member of Parliament Fong Po Kuan -- nicknamed cili padi for her upfront and fiery speeches in and out of the august house -- almost wept her way through a press conference she was NOT OFFERING HERSELF TO BE RE-NOMINATED TO DEFEND THE SEAT SHE HAD HELD FOR TWO TERMS.

YL Chong does not need to chat with oncefellow member to guess what hurdles and challenges she faced, for I can easily project that it was a problem faced by "credible and principled" politicians inte Opposition party where often it is the same culture of sucking upto the chiefs, federal or State ("balls-carrying", remember? just like the MCA and UMNO cunterparts), that is being encouraged and practised.

I can tell it from first-hand experience in NS, and especially in Seremban. But from the beginning, le's start, let's use NST copy's (extract from online edition):

NST Online » Frontpage
2008/02/18

PO KUAN CRIES OFF: Batu Gajah MP declines nomination
By : Shahrul Hafeez and P. Chandra Sagaran



Fong Po Kuan says her decision to withdraw is final.


Major blow to DAP in its bid to win big in Kinta Valley.


BATU GAJAH: The opposition Democratic Action Party was dealt a major blow in Perak when its firebrand female leader, Fong Po Kuan, pulled out of the general election, citing internal politicking as her reason.

Fong is a two-term incumbent Batu Gajah MP. Her claim to fame was the defeat of Perak MCA chairman Datuk Ong Ka Chuan, who is also the brother of MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting, in the 2004 general election.

She had been a favourite to retain her parliamentary seat.

Her decision yesterday threw the Perak DAP into disarray, with state DAP chief Ngeh Koo Ham saying he hoped Fong's decision would not affect the party's bid to win at least four parliamentary seats in the Kinta Valley.

Party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said they would try to persuade Fong to stay.

"We were surprised to receive her letter. I have been too busy to read it in detail," he said, adding that the party was caught off-guard as he had phoned her the night before to confirm that she would be re-nominated in Batu Gajah.

At a press conference here, Fong, who is one of the more vocal DAP MPs in the house and was elected at the age of 24, said: "My decision is final. It was not an easy decision."

Fong, 34, who recently married Johor DAP leader Tan Chen Choon, refused to say anything more than what was in a statement.

It said: "Yesterday morning (Saturday), I verbally conveyed this decision to Lim Kit Siang, a member of the DAP national committee on candidate selection, when he asked me about press speculations about my future.

"I informed Lim Kit Siang that I would furnish my reason for my decision (to withdraw) to party secretary-general (Lim Guan Eng) in writing.

"Last night (Saturday), Lim Guan Eng telephoned to inform me that I would be nominated to stand as a candidate in the Batu Gajah parliamentary constituency."

She dropped a hint on her blog on Valentine's Day when she thanked her voters as well as to "apologise if I have done or said anything which hurt you during these two terms as your elected representative".

In her email to Guan Eng yesterday, she said: "Suffice for me to say that due to the development of internal party events in the Perak DAP over the last few years, as well as currently, which perhaps you are fully aware (of), it has become impossible for me to continue serving effectively, efficiently and wholeheartedly as a party leader as well as an elected representative of the people."

DAP has set Perak as its second frontline state after Penang to deny Barisan Nasional a two-thirds majority in the state.

Although the party is confident of retaining the parliamentary seats of Ipoh Timur, whose MP is opposition leader Kit Siang, and Batu Gajah, it is facing a tough challenge to defend Ipoh Barat, held by vice-chairman M. Kulase-garan.

The DAP, which won seven state seats in the 2004 general election, is also facing waning support in two of its constituencies -- Keranji and Jelapang.

Observers noted that with the Batu Gajah parliamentary seat vacant, the scramble to find candidates at the last minute would affect the state election machinery.

"Although the seat is said to be a DAP stronghold, Fong is also popular with her constituents and her departure may affect the party.

"At the same time, the DAP has to fill the vacancy, meaning that it has to move out someone who's slotted to contest in another parliamentary seat, causing problems in that particular constituency," said an observer.

Fong was described as "cool as a cucumber" yesterday and had recommended Pasir Pinji state assemblyman Thomas Su Keong Siong to replace her.

She said Su was dedicated, action-oriented and sincere in serving the party and the people.

"If the party decides to field Thomas as a candidate for the Batu Gajah parliamentary seat, I will assist him in the election campaign.

"I wish to take this opportunity to thank the people of Batu Gajah for their support and confidence in me. I feel honoured and proud that I have been able to be their elected representative for the last eight years," she said.

Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali said the BN still considered Batu Gajah a tough seat and would campaign as if Fong was defending the seat.

DESIDERATA: I have hinted in several pieces of writing about the sort of POLITICS OF EXCLUSION practised by several DAP State leaders which led to factional fights, resulting in sabotage of duly elected Selangor State Committee, also partially in Malacca and Negri Sembilan through the years, and believe me, WHY DO YOU THINKTHEN PARTY SECRETARY-GENERAL KERK KIM HOCK LOSE THE KOTA MELAKA (P) SEAT IN GE 2004 by wafer-thin margin of 219 VOTES?

When I asked him during a visit within a few days of his loss in his home, if the press reports about him being a victim of sabortage by a rival faction within DAP were TRUE OR FALSE, Kerk's answer was a firm "TRUE". I had in fact told him to answer a Yes or No to the Star report then, and he replied "Yes" -- that it was internal party sabitage that cost the party the long-held Opposition seat.

You wanna venture a GUESS who was behindKerk's loss so that he would be the CHIEF GAINER? No Guess watch for the RIGHT ANSWER because YL would be bankrupt rewarding thee: THE SOLUTION IS SIMPLE AND CLEAR AS CREDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL,NO?

I have to be on the move today -- You wanna know more, come back later! TO BE CONTINUED....