Doc, lawyer and engineers to take on businessmen – The Star

Monday February 25, 2008

Doc, lawyer and engineers to take on businessmen

GOPENG: A cardiologist, lawyer and two engineers from the opposition are taking on four Barisan Nasional candidates, all businessmen, in Gopeng.

Barisan candidate Datuk Ling Hee Leong , 39, and Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s Dr Lee Boon Chye, 49, are contesting for the Gopeng parliamentary seat.

Ling is a newcomer and replaces Barisan’s five-term incumbent Tan Sri Dr Ting Chew Peh.

Dr Lee, a cardiologist, lost to Dr Ting in 2004. Ting won by 14,788 votes in the last elections.

He said he has a 50:50 chance this time because he was better prepared.

Describing his contender as very academically qualified and friendly, Ling said he expected a good contest.

The Teja state seat will see a contest between PKR’s Chang Lih Kang, a 28-year-old engineer, and Barisan’s Yew Sau Kham, 54.

Yew replaces incumbent Datuk Dr Ho Wai Cheong.

Barisan’s Alex Chan Chin Chee, 51, who is the incumbent for the Simpang Pulai state seat, is being challenged by PKR’s Chan Ming Kai, a 28-year-old lawyer.

It is also a straight fight between Barisan’s Hamidah Osman, 47, the incumbent assemblyman for Sungai Rapat, and Radzi Zainon from PAS. Radzi, 37, is an engineer.

The Barisan candidates were accompanied by about 1,000 supporters – Dr Ting and Ling’s father Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik, mother Toh Puan Ena Ling and MCA veteran Tan Sri Michael Chen among them – to the nomination centre here.

On his son’s candidacy, Dr Ling, who was a seven-term MP, said: “I enjoyed politics and serving the people and so does he.”

In Batu Gajah, the Barisan Nasional fielded a team of three men and a woman who will face the DAP team of three women and one man.

The Batu Gajah parliamentary constituency is made up of the Menglembu, Tronoh and Jelapang state seats.

Barisan’s lone woman candidate Christina Teoh Ai Ling will be facing the DAP’s Lim Pek Har in the Menglembu state seat while the DAP’s only male candidate, V. Sivakumar, will face Barisan’s Lee Kim Choy in Tronoh.

Fong Po Kuan is defending her Batu Gajah seat in a face-off with Barisan’s Cheah Yoke Can.

Veterans versus younger rivals – The Star

Friday February 29, 2008

Veterans versus younger rivals

THE candidates vying for Go-peng parliamentary consti-tuency and its three state seats – Teja, Simpang Pulai and Sungai Rapat – are not only separated by the political fence but also a big age gap.

The tussle for Teja state seat is be-tween Barisan Nasional’s 54-year-old Yew Sau Kham and Parti Keadi-lan Rakyat’s Chang Lih Kang, a 28-year-old engineer.

Yew’s 55-year-old husband Albert Chang, who was originally tipped to be the BN candidate, is now busy helping his wife in the campaigning.

The joke going around is that Lih Kang has to face “two contenders” whose combined age totalled over 100 years old.

Yew, already a grandmother, said her long-time involvement in local associations, including parent- teacher associations of schools where her children studied some 10 years ago, would give her an edge.

The contestants:Ling(fourth left)shaking hands with Dr Lim during nomination day.With them are(from left)Hamidah,Alex Chan,Yew Lih Kang, Ming Kai and Radzi.

Lih Kang, also Perak PKR deputy information chief, said he did not think age would matter in the elections.

“What is important is that I am ready to serve the people and be their voice at the state assembly,” said Lih Kang.

Albert’s cousin, Alex Chan Chin Chee, 51, has been retained as the Barisan candidate for Simpang Pulai state seat. He is facing Gopeng PKR vice-chairman Chan Ming Kai, a 28-year-old lawyer.

As the incumbent, Alex, already a grandfather, appears to have the edge over Ming Kai, who said he has been operating a mobile service centre at markets in Gopeng since 2004.

Barisan’s Hamidah Osman, 47, will be defending the Sungai Rapat seat against PAS’ Radzi Zainon, a 37-year-old engineer.

Radzi, also Gopeng PAS Youth chief, said he would fight for free education and health services for all Malaysians if he was elected.

The contest for the Gopeng parliamentary seat will pit Barisan’s Datuk Ling Hee Leong, 39, against PKR’s Dr Lee Boon Chye, 49.

Dr Lee, a cardiologist, is trying his luck for the second time after losing to Barisan’s incumbent Tan Sri Dr Ting Chew Peh in the last elections.

Ling said he would work hard to serve his constituents and continue with the good work of Dr Ting.

Ling said the voters were generally happy with what Barisan had done for them.

“But there is a need to keep the people informed on a regular basis. There is bound to be areas for im-provement,” he said, adding that one of the things brought to his atten-tion was the need for better ventilation in the market and hawker centre.

Adviser torn between two candidates

GOPENG: Perak MCA adviser Datuk Yeoh Kian Teik is torn between two candidates – Datuk Ling Hee Leong and Dr Lee Boon Chye this general election.

Both are contesting the Gopeng parliamentary seat.

“Hee Leong will make a very good MP while Dr Lee is my close friend,” said Yeoh.

Nevertheless, he said he would choose Ling because Dr Lee, a cardiologist from Ipoh, would be too busy to serve the people.

Yeoh, who is the father of international film star Datuk Michelle Yeoh, said this during a dinner organised by the Kopisan People’s Association here on Thursday night. The function was attended by 1,100 people.

Tan Sri Dr Ting Chew Peh, who is a five-term Gopeng MP, told the crowd that he fully endorsed Ling, 39, to succeed him.

The Barisan candidates for the Teja state seat Yew Sau Kham and Simpang Pulai state seat, Alex Chan Chin Chee, were also present.

Dr Ting described Chan – the Simpang Pulai incumbent assemblyman – and Yew – a first-timer and Gopeng Wanita MCA chief – as “old local gingers” who would be able to understand the needs of the locals and serve them well.

The Sungai Rapat state seat candidate is Hamidah Osman.