MCA man to use his vast know-how for the benefit of Gurun residents

Boey presenting schoolbags and other necessities to children in Taman Sri Bedong, Gurun, in December. With him is Jerai Indian Social Services chairman M. Palaniappan

MCA coordinator for Gurun in Kedah Datuk Boey Chin Gan will tap his vast experience in serving two former ministers to serve the people there.

Among other plans, he wants to promote two famous products of the constituency which are maize and longan.

Longan is grown in Kampung Baru Padang Lembu which is the biggest of the four new villages in the constituency.

“Some farmers sell the fruit under the name of Kedah longan. I will help the farmers market the product with the help of federal agencies,” he said in an interview.

The 53-year-old is tipped to contest the seat which has been a Barisan Nasional stronghold since Merdeka. He has been working on the ground for the past two years.

Boey has worked as press secretary to former Housing and Local Government ministers Tan Sri Dr Ting Chew Peh from 1993 till 1999 and Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting from 1999 till 2004.

“I learnt a lot in dealing with government agencies. This will be useful when serving the people in Gurun,” said Boey, who graduated in political science from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in 1992.

The seat has 28,595 voters with about 60% of them being Malays, Chinese (24%) and Indians (16%).

“I have received good response from the people as I have helped to solve many problems faced by the poor with the help of non-governmental organisations,” he said.

Boey won the Kulim state seat in 2004. He contested the Padang Serai parliamentary seat in 2008 but lost to a PKR candidate. He did not contest in the last General Election.

“I have been helping Gurun assemblyman Datuk Dr Leong Yong Kong since 2016 and I am familiar with the issues faced by the people.

“Almost 80% of the people living in villages need better infrastructure facilities such as roads, bridges and street lighting. There are flooding problems in Gurun town which need to be overcome,” he said.