GEORGE TOWN: Four days before nomination day, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow was floored by Covid-19, but even as he was recuperating at home, his mind was on Batu Kawan.
He has a new, and rather tricky task ahead – to defend the parliamentary seat after the incumbent Kasthuriraani Patto declined re-election.
Chow, the four-term Tanjong MP, has to tread cautiously as he is now away from the comfort of his island seat and has to win over voters of a new seat on the mainland, across the channel.
He cannot afford any hiccups as DAP has never lost in Batu Kawan since 2008 when Dr P. Ramasamy first beat Gerakan’s Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon.
Chow faces four challengers – Ong Chin Wen (Warisan), Datuk Tan Lee Huat (Barisan Nasional), Lee Ah Liang (Parti Rakyat Malaysia) and Wong Chia Zhen (Perikatan Nasional).
On paper, Chow – the Chief Minister since 2018 – should have no problem winning but he is not taking anything for granted. He does not need history to repeat itself. Koh himself had been chief minister just before his defeat in 2008.
“I have said before that the future of Penang lies on the mainland, and Batu Kawan is the industrial corridor of the state,” said Chow.
Batu Kawan, once a backwater, is now a world-renowned electrical and electronic technology hub.
“The rapid development in recent years has led to infrastructure issues which resulted in traffic congestion and floods. These are issues that need to be addressed,” he added.
Yesterday was another busy day for Chow, kicking off his first walkabout to meet the residents at Simpang Ampat at 8.30am.
His packed, full-day programme ended with a ceramah at Taman Merak, Simpang Ampat late in the night.
As of Sept 15, Batu Kawan had 88,864 voters, with Chinese making up 53.9% or 47,944 voters. There are also 20,393 Malay voters and 19,765 Indians, while the other 762 are of other races.
There are 13 parliamentary seats in Penang, six on the island and seven on the mainland.
Before dissolution, Pakatan held 10, with DAP having seven and PKR three. Bersatu and Barisan had two and one, respectively.
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