Familiar face: Ch’ng (left) chatting with a trader at the Balik Pulau market during his campaigning round.
BALIK PULAU: A local businessman is returning home to make his mother’s village a better place; his sights and heart are focused on assisting the people of Balik Pulau.
Datuk Seri Johny Ch’ng Ewe Gee said his mother’s ailing health and her love for her hometown had drawn him to contest in GE15 as an independent candidate, with the aim of making it a better place for the locals.
Ch’ng, who was born in Balik Pulau, said that even though he relocated to Kuantan in Pahang to do business, his heart remained with Penang island because many of his family members still reside there.
“My mother wants to return and stay in her hometown and enjoy her twilight years in her village home.
“When I told my mother of my wish to contest in GE15 and help the people by representing them, she was quick to mention Balik Pulau.
“Since this is her wish, I will do my best to fulfil it and take up the challenge. She reminded me time and again to serve the people well if elected,” he said in an interview.
Ch’ng, 50, who is also the Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation’s (MCPF) vice-chairman, said he knows it is not easy as an independent and that his chance of winning is slim.
“However, without a party or coalition, I am not required to answer or follow their directives. I can work for the people and speak my mind freely.
“If the voters give me the mandate to be their representative, I will move back to Balik Pulau to ensure I can be here for them. I pledge to not only listen to their woes but to also go out of the way to help them,” he said.
The father of three, who runs a sports equipment business, said his younger brother would take over so that he could return here to attend to the people full time.
His plans to help Balik Pulau include bringing in new agriculture methods and the latest technology, as well as boosting tourism to increase the economy and downstream activities.
“It is a beautiful place, but people usually make a day trip there. I want to encourage more visitors to unwind here and stay for a few days, as it is a good place to relax and enjoy the nature.
“As a businessman with good international networking, I will be able to bring in foreign investors and guests, which in turn will help the locals,” he said.
Ch’ng will be involved in a six-cornered fight with Pakatan Harapan incumbent Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik, 57; Barisan Nasional’s Datuk Shah Headan Ayoob Hussain Shah, 58; Perikatan Nasional’s Muhammad Harris Idaham Abdul Rashid, 30; Pejuang’s Ahmad Fazli Mohammad, 47; and another independent, Datuk Seri Sabaruddin Ahmad, 49.
Muhammad Bakhtiar stated that he has much more work to do for his constituents.
“One thing at the top of my to-do list is to have a full-fledged hospital. The current hospital is old and lacks specialists.
“When there is an emergency, the patients need to be transferred to the Penang Hospital, which is 45 minutes away,” he said, adding that education was another issue as there are many dropouts in Balik Pulau.
Shah Headan, on the other hand, hopes to tackle the issue of unemployment.
“I want to create more job opportunities for the locals,” he said.
