Neow is ready to take on the challenge of transforming Malaysia’s political landscape to strengthen its economy and prosperity – starting with Taiping.
TAIPING: After witnessing how bad governance brought Venezuela to its knees in his first foreign assignment at the Malaysian embassy in Caracas, Taiping-born Neow Choo Seong is determined to make sure that Malaysia does not go down the same path.
The diplomat-turned-politician points out startling similarities between the two countries – namely the dependence on rich natural resources such as oil, as well as the strong focus on welfare.
But it’s high time for Malaysia to move beyond welfare and hand-outs, he tells The Star, noting that the goal should be to ensure economic sustainability.
Fresh from a four-year stint with first-hand experience of the Capitol riots and the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States, he is ready to take on the challenge of transforming Malaysia’s political landscape to strengthen its economy and prosperity – starting with Taiping.
The turning point for Neow was his experience with FoodBank Taiping, when he helped to give out food and hampers to poor families, following his return to the country in late December last year.
“Seeing that so many people were really in need of attention, it devastated me and reminded me of what happened in Venezuela. I realised that giving out one-off aid like that won’t solve the problem,” he shares.
Neow, 37, is contesting in the Taiping parliamentary constituency at the 15th General Election on Nov 19. It will be his first time contesting in a general election, a similarity he shares with many other candidates in MCA’s team of fresh-faced youths under the Barisan Nasional banner in GE15.
Neow may be new to politics, but he has already served Malaysia and its people in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for 13 years, in the field of international relations – an interest that traces back to his secondary school days.
“Unfortunately, people usually associate Barisan with issues of corruption and bad governance.
“But I want to prove to the world, not only Malaysians, that the past is past and there are young politicians who are coming up and are fighting for change.
“We need more young blood in politics. We need people with fresh vision, integrity, charisma and sincerity. That’s why I signed up. As a civil servant myself, I can see how these issues hinder development of the country. Without stability and good governance, investors won’t come in,” he says.
With a population exceeding 120,000 of which more than 90,000 are voters, Taiping’s economy is no longer as vibrant as before, a situation that has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Now a Perak FC board member, the former state football player wants to inject new life into Taiping while preserving its historical elements, as Taiping has regressed into a retirement town from its heyday as a popular destination with local and international tourists.
Firmly believing that diplomacy is the bedrock of success, Neow has set “very pragmatic benchmarks” in the form of five agendas for his vision to transform Taiping – economy, education, healthcare, security and safety, and infrastructure.
In his two-pronged approach to rejuvenate Taiping’s economy, Neow will have to strike the right balance between proper planning and development of industrialisation and eco-tourism, in order to preserve the heritage town and the flora and fauna in its ecosystem.
He candidly admits that his selling point is the arsenal of experience, network and connections built during his diplomatic career, which he wants to leverage in hopes of increasing American and Chinese foreign direct investment into Kamunting Industrial Park and other underutilised parcels of land – ultimately generating new job opportunities in and attracting new blood to Taiping.
In the short-term, however, tourism could be the answer. An influx of tourists would positively impact local businesses and enable them to thrive, especially as around 41% of businesses in Perak are involved in services, followed by 29% in wholesale and retail.
Considering that more than 90% of the nation’s business establishments are rooted in micro, small and medium enterprises such as hawkers and retailers, it gives a fair indication that efforts along these lines could pay off.
It’s not as if the younger generation of business owners are not doing what they can. But it’s not enough. What’s needed is a systematic, concerted effort from the government to promote Taiping.
As online news portal Twentytwo13 reported in 2019, young business owners have been calling for local authorities to join hands with the private sector to draw more tourists.
The complaint: Lack of readily available information on Taiping, despite its rich history and the poorly maintained main attractions, such as Maxwell Hill and Taiping Zoo.
Sharing this sentiment, Neow wants to transform Barrack Road into a heritage street the likes of Melaka’s Jonker Street, to put the spotlight on the town’s rich history.
In addition, he is looking to revamp poorly managed tourist attractions and promote Taiping as an eco-tourism destination.
Moreover, in conjunction with the 150th anniversary of the establishment of Taiping and the 50th anniversary of Malaysia-China bilateral relations in 2024, he wants to bring “panda diplomacy” via a pair of pandas to the town.
Neow Choo Seong (MCA/Barisan Nasional) faces Wong Kah Woh (DAP/Pakatan Harapan), See Tean Seng (Gerakan/Perikatan Nasional) and independent candidates Mohganan P. Manikam, Leow Thye Yih and TS Dr Rama in a six-corner fight for Taiping.
