Datuk Tan Tee Kwong on a walkabout in Wangsa Maju. — Pictures by Choo Choo May
Former Deputy Minister Land and Cooperative Development Datuk Dr Tan Tee Kwong had started reconnecting with the voters to increase his profile on the ground since incumbent Wangsa Maju representative Wee Choo Keong quit the party in 2010 and turned Independent though pledging support to the Barisan Nasional (BN) federal coalition.
In a recent Sunday walkabout, Dr Tan told The Malaysian Insider that he is now more comfortable and confident after meeting Wangsa Maju residents regularly.
"After two years, the walkabouts and contributions to the needy have started to show positive result," said the former Gerakan MP.
He also confessed that the hardest task is to convince the voters who question his loyalty to PKR, and to assure them that another party-hopping incident will not repeat itself.
"The first time I was here, almost everybody I met asked what assurance can I give them if I win," Dr Tan added.
Two high-ranking PKR leaders have also acknowledged that Dr Tan was given the responsibility to take care of the area's party branch after Wee left.
"(Dr Tan) was given the responsibility to restore the party's image and strengthen the election machinery," said PKR Secretary-General Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
"The possibility of him contesting (in Wangsa Maju) is there."
PKR Communications Director Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad also echoed Saifuddin's view of Dr Tan's chances.
"A full decision is yet to be made, but that's it... maybe Tan will contest that seat," the Seri Setia assemblyman said.
Dr Tan's presence was lauded by Mohammad Hamdi Mohd Said, who was part of the election machinery's backbone which contributed to Wee's win back in 2008.
"Almost every week, (Dr Tan) would go to the ground to meet the residents," the Wangsa Maju PKR Youth Chief said.
"After Wee left, it became a bit chaotic, but since Tan took over, situation has changed.
"Tan is a true politician, and he is not shy to go to the ground, unlike Wee who did so rarely.
"His character is so different to the old candidate, because in 2008 we made a big mistake by putting a parachute candidate."
The P116 seat is seen as one of the hot seats in the coming election, after PKR managed to win it from MCA with a slim majority of 150 in 2008.
Former PKR candidate Wee defeated BN's Yew Teong Look with 19,637 votes compared to 19,487.
An urban seat like Wangsa Maju poses a close contest for any party, owing to the technological advances which provide instant information to residents.
Wangsa Maju is a Malay-majority constituency with 35,258 of them (53.28 per cent), followed by Chinese at 24,000 (36.27 per cent) and Indian at 5,741 (8.68 per cent).
Most of the voters (45.68 per cent) are between 30 and 49 years old at 30,230, followed by pensioners between 50 and 69 at 31.66 per cent (20,953).
Majority of the dwellings in the area consists of apartments, low cost flats and condominium units.
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