By Stephanie Sta Maria - Free Malaysia Today
HULU SELANGOR WATCH Peter Yap is a staunch Pakatan Rakyat supporter who has the ears of the Chinese community in Kampung Asam Kumbang. And when a by-election is around the corner, his vote carries a staggering amount of weight.
Kampung Asam Kumbang is a predominantly Chinese new village, five minutes from Hulu Selangor's principal district of Kuala Kubu Baru. Of the 588 households there, 95 percent are Chinese and the rest Indian.
Unapologetically decked out in DAP flags and banners, Yap's home stands out like a swatch of colour in a black and white movie. But the former Kampung Asam Kumbang branch chairman nurses a deep resentment towards the party.
“DAP was struggling financially during the campaigning for the 2008 general election,” he remembered. “K A Ramu (a DAP candidate who ran for and lost the Kuala Kubu Baru seat in 2008) and I pooled our money to help them. We even went door-to-door to collect votes on Pakatan's behalf.”
When Pakatan won the Selangor seat, however, DAP bit the hand that fed the party. Yap's application to renew his position as branch chairman was rejected and he was instead instructed to open a branch in Taman Bukit Bunga. He refused.
“We dug the well and DAP drank all the water,” he said angrily. “When Pakatan won the seat, I thought it meant a better life for the people in my constituency. I was wrong.”
“The state government made no move to fix even the most basic of problems like dilapidated signboards and poor drainage. How could we expect them to tackle the more serious issues of land titles and economic development?”
While Yap readily acknowledged that the Chinese community is nowhere near as marginalised as the Indians and Orang Asli, he warned that they don't take kindly to being ignored.
Concerned over weak economy
Many Chinese are still landless despite having lived in the district's 13 new villages for over three decades. Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim recently addressed the issue by saying the the state government would give 99-year leases to families of all races who have been living in Hulu Selangor for more than 15 years.
Yap, however, remained unimpressed.
“The Chinese have been very patient,” he said. “Just because we don't kick up a ruckus doesn't mean we don't care or are not paying attention.”
A weak economy is also a thorn in the sides of many Chinese. Most residents of Kampung Asam Kumbang are either middle-aged or elderly.
The young have left for greener pastures in Kuala Lumpur because of the lack of development in their hometown. According to Yap, there aren't enough factories in Hulu Selangor to provide the number of jobs needed.
Factories that do provide employment opportunities, on the other hand, offer a measly wage. Factory workers in Hulu Selangor are reportedly paid a maximum of RM18 a day. Many have opted to suffer the long commute to Petaling Jaya and Damansara for the sake of a decent income.
“Those who are left have seen many MPs pass though this constituency,” Yap pointed out. “They don't swallow promises so easily now. What they want is someone who is on the ground and connected to their reality. Race is not an issue.”
According to Yap, his efforts won Pakatan 1,400 votes in Kampung Asam Kumbang in 2008. Now, he claimed, they would look to him before casting their vote on April 25. And despite his unhappiness with DAP, he is firm about standing by Pakatan.
“It's not about one party but the coalition,” he said. “And right now, the Chinese still believe in Pakatan.”
Subdued Pakatan presence
Gerakan and PKR flags also fly high in Kampung Sejantung, Kalumpang, another predominantly Chinese area. Almost every small business and home in the village has stated its allegiance.
At the end of the road, an MCA community hall and a makeshift DAP centre defiantly face each other. But while the former was abuzz with activity, the latter was closed.
Similar sights were observed from Hulu Bernam to Serendah. Scores of busy BN centres dotted the roadside while a smattering of Pakatan centres were either closed or subdued.
The Chinese form 26.4 percent of Hulu Selangor's 64,500 voters. After MIC's G Palanivel's recent boast that he doesn't need Chinese votes to win, that percentage could have shrunk for BN.
However, as Yap cautioned, if Pakatan doesn't start paying more attention to the Chinese, it could face a similar quandary.
The Hulu Selangor by-election will take place on April 25. PKR will field Zaid Ibrahim, its supreme council member and once an Umno MP for Kota Baru. He is likely to face Palanivel.
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