AFTER four successful terms, the Barisan Nasional may be assured of another win in the state seat of Tras in Pahang, albeit with a lower majority.

Water woes, lack of employment choices and low-cost housing facilities may erode some of the support.

Tras has about 20,000 voters, with the Chinese accounting for about 70 per cent of the constituents.

Tras is considered a hot seat as it was under DAP’s grip in the ’80s, before the MCA grabbed it in the 1990 general election with a slim majority of 107 votes.

In 1995 general election, BN won with a majority of 2,485 votes, but this slipped to 119 when DAP strongman Lip Tuck Chee contested against incumbent Chan Chong Fah in 1999.
Chan bounced back in the 2004 general election with a majority of 1,196 votes against DAP’s Leong Mee Meng.

This see-sawing in the majority over the last four elections is a reminder to the BN that it cannot take Tras for granted.

However, local village issues notwithstanding, the scales seem to favour BN.

Security guard Tengku Sheriman Abdullah said the BN was likely to win.

Tan Lai Tian, 57, said the villagers were not very happy with their last four elected representatives but were unwilling to vote for the opposition. “We believe they will not be able to help much.”

MCA’s Chan said he was not too worried about DAP, as he had provided regular service to the people of Tras.

“The government has allocated RM50 million under the Ninth Malaysia Plan to upgrade the water supply system for Raub. Work has just begun,” he said.

State DAP deputy chairman Leong Ngah Ngah sees a 48 to 50 per cent chance of winning the Tras seat. Party activist Cheong Siew Onn is slated to stand against Chan.