Keeping cool under pressure

Lai at the Selangor state secretariat building in Shah Alam. The arrest of his headmaster under Ops Lalang in 1987 sparked his interest in politics.

SMILE and the whole world smiles with you. This is the adage Teratai assemblyman Bryan Lai Wai Chong lives by.

“In my six years of training to be an assemblyman, I have learnt that complaints are a plea for help from the rakyat. Complaints, even angry ones, are messages that there are problems on the ground that need to be solved,” said Lai.

Politicians, he said, are likened to middlemen between area residents and the government. So, the onus is on the assemblyman to keep calm and look for answers, instead of becoming irritated.

“Yes, I admit there were many times when I too have gotten angry. But what I do is just smile because I know most problems do have solutions.

“It is an uncomfortable place to be when a community leader does not have answers yet. But once I do, it becomes a success story for me, “ said Lai.

A businessman turned politician, Lai served as a councillor with the Kajang Municipal Council for three terms before he was elected to fill the Teratai seat.

The former student of Confucian Secondary School, Kuala Lumpur, developed an interest in politics at age 13, after his headmaster was detained under Ops Lalang in 1987.

The swoop saw more than 100 politicians, non-governmental organisation activists, academicians and students being held without trial under the Internal Security Act 1960.

“The incident made me think. That was when I realised people should be concerned and educated about politics and its implications,” he said.

But Lai did not enter the political arena as readily as his party members had hoped.

“I rejected the councillor post twice though my party members promised they would work together with me.

“From my experience as former Socialist Youth (Dapsy) secretary, I knew the heavy responsibility that would come with the post,” he said.

He changed his mind when he found a mentor in former Balakong assemblyman, the late Eddie Ng.

“I learned a lot from Ng. He had an uncanny ability to explain things well to residents, even in tense

situations.

“At the end of the session, even the angriest resident would end up smiling,” said Lai.

Inspired, Lai handed over the running of his autogate, CCTV and access card system business to a colleague, took a 300% pay cut and went full-time into politics.

As Teratai assemblyman, Lai said the top three concerns on his list are to find a solution to the traffic crawl during peak hours in Taman Muda, getting budget approval to conduct slope repairs in Taman Putra and forming a task force to look into the presence of illegal foreign hawkers operating at night and morning markets here.

An avid cyclist, Lai is also hoping to organise a one-day cycling trip around the Teratai constituency with Ampang Jaya Municipal Council officers.

The main purpose is to foster camaraderie. The second is to have a better look at things that need fixing, such as potholes.

On the future of his political career, Lai confessed he is happy with his current post.

“I do not aspire to be Prime Minister,” said Lai.

But one thing he has on his wish list is to spend more time with his family.

“My son is 11. We bond by going to the shopping centre together.

“When my wife does the groceries, instead of telling her to hurry up as menfolk are known to do, I let her take her time while I sit in a cafe and chat with my son,” said Lai.