Families at opposite side of the political fence

AN uncle and two nephews. Allthree are in politics but each will becontesting under a different politicalbanner. Though from oppositesides of the political fence, theirpolitical affiliations have neveraffected their blood ties, or the conversationat reunion dinners. 

MCA's Teng Boon Soon, 67, is acandidate for Tebrau parliamentaryseat in Johor while his nephews,brothers Teng Chang Khim is standingfor DAP in the Sungei Pinangstate seat in Selangor and TengChang Yeow for Gerakan in thePadang Kota state seat, Penang. 

Couple in the fray: Guan Eng and Betty are in politics on theirrespective platforms.

“We meet at the Chinese NewYear reunion dinner in Batu Pahat,Johor, every year. It is our compulsoryannual get together. We allwill agree that for that one day, allthree of us will be there,” says BoonSoon. 

“Of course we talk about politics.We tolerate each other's views andnever clash.” 

Chang Khim, 45, and ChangYeow, 44, are the sons of his eldestbrother, Teng Boon Ngap, 72. 

Boon Ngap, who is still an MCAgrassroots leader, was an electedcouncillor back in the 1960s, recallsBoon Soon, a former college lecturer.Defending his Tebrau seat, BoonSoon is the oldest candidate in theMCA line-up in the elections. 

The Chinese-educated ChangKhim is a lawyer while the EnglisheducatedChang Yeow is a Penangexecutive councillor. 

Looking back, says Boon Soon, histwo nephews had their politicalideology shaped when they were intheir 20s. 

Chang Yeow was studying inUniversiti Sains Malaysia, wherePenang Chief Minister and actingGerakan president Tan Sri Dr KohTsu Koon was then a lecturer. 

Chang Yeow graduated and laterwent on to become Dr Koh's politicalsecretary, and then a stateassemblyman and exco. 

For husband-and-wife team LimGuan Eng and Betty Chew, theirparticipation in politics is on theirrespective platforms. 

A Universiti Sains Malaysia graduate,Chew's encounter with GuanEng, an accountant by training, in anewspaper office (StarPublications) in Malacca some 20years ago has blossomed into love,marriage, motherhood and politics. 

She entered politics in 1999, contested,and won the Durian Daunstate seat in the general electionthat year. 

Chew, 44 and mother of four –three teenagers and a 14-montholdbaby – subsequently won theKota Laksamana state seat in the2004 general election. 

But 1999 was certainly an unforgettableyear for her. Guan Eng,who was convicted under theSedition Act was released fromprison but barred from contestingunder the Elections Act. 

On the perception by certainquarters that her entry into politicsin 1999 was an extension of GuanEng's political career, Chew has thisto say: “Guan Eng has his own platformin politics. So do I.” 

This time around, Guan Eng, 48,is contesting the Bagan parliamentaryseat in Penang. 

Chew, a practising lawyer, willbe defending her Kota Laksamanastate seat while father-in-law KitSiang is defending his Ipoh Timorparliamentary seat.Meanwhile, MCA's Gan Tian Loois defending his Duyong state seatin Malacca.He contested and won theDuyong seat in the last electionsafter his father, Datuk Wira GanBoon Leong, did not seek re-election. 

Tian Loo, 36, a graduate in businessand administration fromMontana University, United States,was a businessman prior to hisentry into politics. 

He has followed in his father'sfootsteps but his twin sister, TingYen, has chosen a different path.She works in the advertisingdepartment of a Chinese daily inPetaling Jaya. 

Brothers (MCA president) DatukSeri Ong Ka Ting and (MCA secretary-general) Datuk Ong Ka Chuan,who entered politics in the 1980s,certainly need no introduction. 

Ka Ting, 52, is contesting theKulai parliamentary seat in Johorwhile elder brother, Ka Chuan, 54,is going for the Tanjong Malim parliamentaryseat in Perak. 

Siblings Datuk Seri Chia KwangChye and Chia Loong Thye will bewalking side by side during thiselection campaign as both are contestingunder the Barisan ticket. 

Kwang Chye, Gerakan's secretary-general, is contesting the BukitBendera parliamentary seat whileyounger brother Loong Thye, alsofrom Gerakan, is vying for theTanjung Bungah state seat, one ofthe state seats in the Bukit Benderaparliamentary seat. 

Another pair, cousins DeputyPrime Minister Datuk Seri NajibTun Razak and Umno Youth chiefDatuk Seri Hishammuddin TunHussein Onn, will be contesting thePekan parliamentary seat (inPahang) and Sembrong parliamentaryseat (in Johor) respectively. 

Najib is the eldest son ofMalaysia's second prime minister,the late Tun Razak Hussein, andHishammuddin is the son of thelate Tun Hussein Onn, the thirdprime minister. 

Najib's mother Tun Rahah Noahand Hishammuddin's mother TunSuhaila Noah are sisters. 

Prime Minister Datuk SeriAbdullah Ahmad Badawi is defendinghis Kepala Batas parliamentaryseat in Penang while his son-inlaw,Umno Deputy Youth chiefKhairy Jamaluddin, is contestingthe Rembau parliamentary seat inNegri Sembilan. 

Khairy, who married Abdullah'sonly daughter Nori, is contestingfor the first time. 

In Sarawak, long-serving ChiefMinister Tan Sri Abdul TaibMahmud, 71, has finally called it aday after serving as KotaSamarahan MP for 40 years. Hisson, Datuk Seri Sulaiman AbdulRahman Taib, 39, is contesting theseat he vacated. Sulaiman is alsothe son-in-law of Sarawak DeputyChief Minister Tan Sri Dr GeorgeChan Hong Nam. 

In Perak, there is also a case oftwo relatives on opposite sides ofthe fence trying their luck. PerakWanita MIC chief S. Thangasvari iscontesting the Hutan Melintangstate seat. Her brother-in-law (hersister's husband), M. Manogaran, iscontesting the Teluk Intan parliamentseat on a DAP ticket.