KAJANG, Feb 27 — The odds may be stacked against her but Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun believes that her reputation as a hard worker - which has even earned her the label of “MP longkang” - may just swing the Kajang vote in her favour this March 23.
In fact, it was this very moniker that the MCA vice-president proudly thundered last night when she hit the campaign trail for the first time in the suburban constituency.
In her unofficial campaign kick-off speech to voters, Chew appealed for support by reminding Kajang folk of her past track record as Petaling Jaya Utara MP, saying it was proof of her ability to serve as a lawmaker.
“For every issue whether it be street lights, road works or even drainage problems I would immediately come with the Petaling Jaya Municipal Council to sort things out.
“Because of my tenacity, I was even labelled as ‘MP longkang’ by Tony Pua before he took over, because I was adamant to that extent to fix the drains,” she told the 100-odd attendees here at Sungai Sekamat Luar.
Chew, who will face political giant Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for the Kajang contest, said she did not mind the nickname as it showed that she was a hardworking grassroots leader who was more about “fixing problems” than having “political ambitions.”
“Former minister Tan Sri Samy Vellu even scolded me once in Parliament...he complained I was critical of the Works Ministry and behaved like I was an opposition member,” she said to stifled laughter and giggles from the crowd who had begun warming up to the MCA leader ten minutes after she started her speech.
Chew claimed she had received complaints from some constituents about PKR’s former Kajang state lawmaker Lee Chin Cheh’ and that he had never been visiting the area or even had a proper service centre built during his short stint as assemblyman.
If elected, Chew promised she would be an assemblyman who was “readily” available and approachable at all times as she had no other official duties.
“If you give me a chance, I will be the representative that you can see and meet, you won’t need to go through my personal secretary or assistant.
“I know I am the underdog here, but a victory can be possible even if the mission seems impossible,” she added.
Umno information chief Datuk Ahmad Maslan who was also present said that Anwar would be unsuitable as Kajang state assemblyman as he was bogged down by too many responsibilities as Permatang Pauh MP, Selangor state economic advisor as well as opposition leader.
“Who does Anwar have behind him? Behind Chew Mei Fun is the prime minister, deputy prime minister, the entire Cabinet and deputy ministers.
“She is Kajang’s link to Putrajaya,” the Pontian MP said, adding that Chew’s position as Kajang assemblyman would make it easier for the federal government to pump in aid for the constituency.
Chew had been tipped as BN’s best candidate to go against Opposition Leader Anwar in the state seat, following an MCA survey that showed her as the best received of the party’s possible candidates in Kajang.
The Kajang by-election is shaping up to be a four-corner fight as Datuk Zaid Ibrahim and Yuktes Vijay have also thrown their hats into the ring.
Zaid was a one-time Umno minister-turned-PKR member before going solo while Yuktes was previously a legal aide for Anwar’s defence in the Sodomy II trial.
The seat was vacated by PKR’s Lee Chin Cheh last month, to make way for the party’s de facto chief. Lee had won the state constituency last year with a significant margin of 6,824 votes.
Once a prominent MCA personality, Chew saw her star decline after she lost her PJ Utara seat to DAP’s Tony Pua in Election 2008.
She slipped further from the public’s eye after quitting her party and government posts to protest Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek winning the presidency during the 2010 MCA election, having publicly pledged to do so if the former health minister won.
She won her way back into MCA’s upper echelons in an internal poll last December, when she was voted in as one of four vice-presidents alongside Datuk Lee Chee Leong, Datuk Dr Hou Kok Chung, and Datuk Chua Tee Yong.
The by-election will be held on March 23 and nominations are scheduled for March 11.
The Kajang constituency is 48 per cent Malay, 41 per cent Chinese and 10 per cent Indian.
