Possible contenders: (From left) MCA’s Loh, DAP’s Syerleena, PRM’s Teh and Gerakan’s H’ng are among those said to be likely fielded by their respective parties in the Bukit Bendera parliamentary constituency.
GEORGE TOWN: Voters in the parliamentary seat of the “most affluent corner” of Penang island – Bukit Bendera – can expect to be offered a choice of at least four candidates, comprising two new faces and two familiar ones, come polling day.
The 92,611 voters, as of mid-September, living in upmarket pockets on the island such as Tanjung Bungah, Tanjung Tokong, a part of Batu Ferringhi, Pulau Tikus, Fettes Park, the Jesselton area, and a part of the densely populated, middle-class neighbourhood of Bandar Batu Ayer Itam (popularly called Farlim), will have to decide whether they want someone fresh or seasoned.
Entering the ring for the first time in 44 years in this constituency is Penang MCA.
Party observers expect the MCA to field social activist Loh Yat Cheng, 61, although her candidacy has yet to be announced.
A former headmistress and teacher of many schools who later served in 23 NGOs to help the underprivileged, Loh has been in MCA for 33 years and has dedicated herself to helping marginalised societies find a better future through education.
From DAP, expect Syerleena Abdul Rashid, 42, to be announced by the party today.
Though new to Bukit Bendera voters, Syerleena is currently serving as Seri Delima assemblyman. Seri Delima in an area in central George Town called Island Glades, where she won with 82.5% of the votes in 2018.
Another contender is Teh Yee Cheu, 64.
He is a familiar face around Tanjung Bungah because he liked to commute by bicycle when he was an assemblyman there from 2008 to 2018.
He left DAP in 2018 after being critical of the state administration for the frequent flooding and the landslide at a Tanjung Bungah apartment construction site that killed 11 workers.
Teh, the state chairman of Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) now, has announced his plans to contest in Bukit Bendera.
Another choice for voters will be Gerakan’s national treasurer, H’ng Chee Wey, 45.
H’ng can be deemed an “old face” because he was the special assistant to former Gerakan strongman Datuk Seri Chia Kwang Chye from 1999 to 2008.
Chia, who held the Bukit Bendera seat for three terms when Gerakan was a part of Barisan Nasional, is best known for gunning down DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang by a mere 104 votes when the former opposition leader tried to take Bukit Bendera in 1999.
This time around, H’ng will haul the banner of Perikatan Nasional instead of Barisan.
Bukit Bendera’s incumbent MP Wong Hon Wai, 49, is not expected to be fielded this round.
He is a one-term MP and two-term assemblyman, aside from being Penang DAP treasurer.
He said he could play a different role for the party if he was not fielded and would abide by the party’s decisions.
