Relationship with voters pivotal in Pandamaran village poll

The relationship between the candidates and the voters played a major role and was a determining factor when Pandamaran villagers cast their votes yesterday.

Of the voters interviewed by Komunitikini yesterday, all of them said a candidate’s familiarity with the voters was important.

Ang Guat Chue, who worked as a chef at a roadside eatery, even made it clear that she would only vote for the candidate she knew.

“Of course I will vote for him, he is my friend,” she said, adding that she knew the other five candidates too, but not at personal level.

Ang’s confession might represent the voting culture in this second largest new village in Malaysia, where a leader’s capability and knowledge on local issues comes after his or her relationship with the voters.

Village elder Chow Ngit Lin echoed Ang’s statement, saying that she only considered the candidates she knew.

“I don’t remember seeing some of them in the village before, so I will consider the few whom I’ve seen,” she told reporters after casting her ballot.

When asked about the problems face by the new village, both Ang and Chow did not seem to relate this to a factor of their consideration.

‘I hope he or she can clean up the main road frequently. The pipe leaking problem also needs to be solved,” Ang said.

Chow, on the other hand, urged the new leader to clean up the rubbish and extend drainage to areas beyond the temple.

DAP member Tan Ja Win, however, knew that a village head’s power is confined as the fund comes from Selangor government.

“What he or she can do it for instance when somebody wants to apply for the (state government) Golden Age Friendly Scheme but was not born in Selangor, a village head can help to verify whether they have stayed here for more than 15 years,” he said.

According to the state government policy, those who have stayed in Selangor for a minimal of 15 years are also entitled to the welfare scheme.

Tan, who is a staunch Tee Boon Hock supporter, said Tee was a scapegoat for political infighting.

“Even the court did not say he was guilty,” he added.

Meanwhile, voter Ang Leng Kia said he would consider the candidate who can selflessly serve the people.

“I don’t hope to see too many political ambitions concerning revenge, comeback or this sort of things coming from the village head elect,” he said.

He added that hygiene, road and basic amenities remain the sole problem of Pandamaran.

The election result was announced in the evening last night, which saw lone woman candidate Low See Mee defeat the other five, garnering nearly half of the total 2657 votes.