Siapa Calon BN Parlimen Kluang?

Parlimen Kluang Kerusi Panas : Siapa Calon BN? 

Sumber :  http://www.mahkotakluang.org/

Assalamu'alaikum dan salam perjuangan,

Pada akhir bulan Januari 2013, satu laporan berita telah disiarkan tentang dilema MCA Bahagian Kluang untuk meletakkan siapakah calon yang paling sesuai untuk bertanding di kerusi Parlimen Kluang. Disiarkan di dalam akhbar bahasa mandarin dan diperhebahkan di laman sosial yang lain, persoalan siapakah yang paling layak untuk diangkat menjadi calon MCA semakin diperdebatkan.

MCA Kluang mempunyai dua calon yang dilihat paling sesuai untuk mengisi satu slot calon ini iaitu sama ada Timbalan Menteri Belian dan Sukan, YB Senator Gan Ping Sieu yang juga merupakan Naib Presiden MCA merangkap Ketua Bahagian MCA Kluang dan seorang lagi iaitu penyandang kerusi tersebut, YB Datuk Dr Hou Kok Chung yang kini diamanahkan sebagai Timbalan Menteri Pengajian Tinggi.

Mungkin, apa yang disebut sebagai 'kerusi panas' adalah berkaitan dengan persaingan kedua-dua individu tersebut yang berusaha untuk dipilih sebagai calon BN pada PRU ke 13 ini.

Ia mungkin tidak sepanas persaingan di antara Presiden MCA dan mantan Presiden MCA yang sedang mengintai kerusi Parlimen Pandan namun ia tetap dilihat sebagai kerusi kelabu BN di negeri Johor.

.
Pertembungan ini memberikan kelebihan kepada calon DAP/PR nanti.

Moderator

------------------------------------------------------------

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 29):  The MCA is facing a dilemma in determining the right candidate to defend Kluang parliamentary seat in Johor in the next election.

According to a Nanyang Siang Pau report, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said recently in a press conference that either Deputy Youth and Sports Minister  or Deputy Higher Education Minister  will contest the Kluang parliamentary seat.

Hou, a former academician, won the Kluang seat in the 2008 general election and was appointed deputy minister, while Gan failed to defend his Mengkibol state assembly seat. However, Gan was later appointed as senator and given a deputy minister post.

Now Gan is eyeing Hou's seat as he is not keen to recontest the Mengkibol state seat.

In an analysis by Nanyang Siang Pau, in terms of party position, Gan scores better than Hou. Gan is MCA vice president and president of the Kluang Division; Hou, on the other hand, is merely a central committee member and the vice-president of the Kluang Division.

According to a party insider, Gan is tipped to get the nod for the seat, as, according to party etiquette, MCA will consider his wish to stand in Kluang. This is, of course, unless Gan himself decides to opt for another seat, or Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Chua decide he is not a suitable candidate.

"If we do not follow the party discipline, it is difficult for the top leadership to convince the members," the party insider said.

It is true that Gan had lost in 2008 general election, but he was appointed as senator because he is the vice-president of the party, he said.

Both Gan and Hou, who are from Kluang, have their own support base locally, making it even more difficult for MCA to decide. The business circles are on Gan's side while the Chinese associations are supporting Hou.

A source said that although Hou is the Kluang MP, he did not bring any infrastructure projects and economic and business development to the area. Hou also did not have any new ideas about improving the economic climate.

Gan, on the other hand, is supported by the local business community who believe he can revive the local economy.

But not everyone is on board with Gan. A Chinese association leader who declined to be named said that Gan's way of doing things is not well received by the local MCA and Chinese association leaders, and he was seen as taking every opportunity in trying to stand out among others.

The leader said this is the reason for Gan's defeat at Mengkibol state seat five years ago.

He pointed out that Hou is seen as a gentleman and the local people have a good impression of him due to his academic achievements.  

Both leaders are also popular with the locals.

Gan, who is a practicing lawyer, has helped many local people to handle their land problems, while Hou is diligent in serving the people and works hard to enhance the infrastructure such as roads in the constituency.

As the competition between both Gan and Hou gets heated, the attendance of the open house activities organised by them during Chinese New Year will be an indicator of their popularity in the constituency.

There is another noteworthy factor, which is the Prime Minister and this could work in Hou's favour. The Prime Minister had said that "winnable" candidate will be fielded in the next election.

As the stakes are high for the Barisan Nasional in the next election, the incumbent has more advantages and can reduce the risk of losing a seat. Moreover, the MCA is burdened by its "no-cabinet-post" promise should its performance be worse than in the 2008 general election.

Add to this, the fact that Kluang is considered a tough bet due to it being a Chinese majority seat. In 2008, DAP candidate Ng Lam Hua lost by only 3,781 votes, compared to in 2004, when he lost by 18,698 votes to MCA's then incumbent Kluang MP Hoo Seong Chang. DAP thinks it can pull off an upset in this coming election.

Therefore, personal interest, as in Gan's wish, may be shoved aside because the MCA just cannot to lose the seat because of a change of candidate.