PETALING JAYA: A return of the Chinese votes to Barisan Nasional was apparent in the Teluk Intan by-election, signalling that the community has renewed its hopes in the coalition, said MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.
“In response, MCA will hasten its transformation programmes to continue to win back support from the community,” he said yesterday.
Liow said the victory had boosted the morale of BN nationwide.
“It is due to the hard work by Gerakan and other component parties and the increase in support can be taken as a vote of confidence towards good governance. MCA also played its part in working with the grassroots and urging our members to come out and vote.”
Liow thanked the Chinese community for supporting Mah and added that BN was heading in the right direction.
In Sitiawan, MCA deputy president Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said Chinese support in Teluk Intan was 34%, compared with 25% in the Kajang state by-election in March, a big contrast to the results of the general election last year during which Chinese support for Teluk Intan and Kajang was 19% and 18% respectively.
“The results in Teluk Intan are based on seven areas where Chinese make up more than 80% of the voters,” he said.
Of the more than 60, 000 voters in Teluk Intan, almost 42% are Chinese, while Malays and Indians comprise 38% and 19% respectively.
“Liow had campaigned until hours before he boarded the flight to China with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on May 27,” said Dr Wee, who was in charge of the party’s campaign in Teluk Intan.
“It was all about hard work and persistence in reaching out to the voters and win them over,” he added.
MCA vice-president Datuk Lee Chee Leong said the return of Chinese support for BN was also an endorsement for the party leadership under Liow.
Lee, who actively campaigned in the polls, said the community’s confidence in the party would continue to attract more Chinese back to BN.
Teluk Intan MCA chairman Datuk Seri Kuan Peng Soon said locals had recognised that BN could be relied upon to provide services and bring development after six years under DAP (from 2008 to May 2014).
Lumut MCA chairman Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha, who helped Mah to pull in the votes from the Teluk Intan business community, particularly the Foo Chow clan, said the community had always been concerned over the economy.
Perak MCA chairman Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon said the win was a good start, and all BN parties should keep the momentum for the next general election.
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