KUALA LUMPUR: Gerakan has represented Barisan Nasional in the city’s Batu parliamentary constituency for many years. Yet there is a strong vibe that the MIC and People’s Progressive Party have expressed keen interest in the seat.

Ng Lip Yong says anyone who thinks he has not ‘turun padang’ can check his diary

The constituency includes the area of Sentul which has the highest number of Indian voters in the city.

MIC, without any a seat in the city, claims that party members had been working hard at the grassroots level for the past 15 years.

Batu MIC division chief C Ramanathan said the government should consider its request to stand, as the party could resolve issues such as a request for a modern crematorium and the relocation of some 1,000 families due to Sentul Raya project that had left them in longhouses after 15 years.

“The incumbent BN MP should work closely with component party members.”
Incumbent Ng Lip Yong is the representative of some 69,000 voters comprising 44 per cent Malays, Chinese (40 per cent), Indians (14 per cent) and others (six per cent).

He won the 2004 elections comfortably, beating Parti Keadilan Rakyat information chief Tian Chua with a majority of 11,517 votes.

Federal Territory PPP chief A. Chandrakumanan said his party was also interested in the constituency, saying that, like Gerakan, PPP was a multiracial party, too.

“We are hoping for a seat in the FT because we have a strong support in Batu. We have been in FT for 15 years and are very much in touch with the grassroots.”

He said one way of solving the problems was to have a realistic approach especially on illegal hawking and issues relating to Hindu temples.

Batu constituency covers the Pekeliling flats area as well as some parts of Selayang.

Being a BN stronghold, the problem is not so much the opposition’s challenge but internal rivalries.

Some BN component party members questioned Ng’s role in developing the area, to the extent that Batu Umno members had submitted a protest letter late last year asking for Ng to be replaced.

According to a Batu Umno insider, Ng rarely visited the grassroots unless there was an invitation to him.

“He will usually send a representative.

“As an MP, he should know about the problems in his area and visit his constituents,” said the insider.

When asked, Ng said: “Those who feel I have not turun padang to meet the voters should came and check my diary. It is difficult to satisfy everyone.”

The two-term MP said he would let the party leaders to decide on the candidate.