DAP challenges BN for a debate in Klang
Malaysiakini.com
Mar 05, 2008
Vinod Naidu

Come and face me in a public debate on the issues concerning Klang, DAP’s candidate for the MCPX
Klang parliamentary seat Charles Santiago challenged his opponent from BN-MCA Ch'ng Toh Eng today.

Santiago said that he had even chosen the time and venue for the debate and it only needed Ch'ng’s presence to make it happen.

“Tomorrow night at 8pm, at the Padang Taman Chi Liung, Klang. Please be there,” said Santiago in a press conference today.

“We will go there and wait for him to see if he turns up,” he added.

charles santiago klang pc 050308 happyThe social activist-turned-politician said that he had sent an official letter inviting Ch’ng for the debate to the MCA headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, the state MCA headquarters as well as to all the MCA branches in Klang.

Santiago is involved in a straight fight with Ch’ng for this seat. Both of them are newcomers to this constituency - Ch’ng is replacing his party colleague and incumbent Dr Tan Yee Kew while Santiago who just joined DAP in February standing in the place of Dr Wong Ang Peng

In 2004, Tan won the traditionally held MCA seat by a 13,281-vote majority. There are 77,816 voters in this seat, with Malays making 33.5 percent, Chinese 47.1 percent and Indians 18.6 percent.

Tan was dropped by the party and Ch’ng who won the Kuala Kubu Baru state seat in 2004 was promoted to contest in the Klang parliamentary seat.

DAP quietly feels that it has the support of the voters to make a change come polling day this Saturday. They believe that the incumbent party’s non-performing track record would swing the votes in their favour.

Poor service record

Harping on this theme, Santiago today continued to make reference to his challenger’s track record as a state assembly person in Kuala Kubu Baru. He also questioned Tan’s record in Klang.

klang parliamentary seatHe said that Ch’ng record in Kuala Kubu Baru was so poor that it was ranked as the fifth worst constituency by the Selangor government.

“With this track record, how is he going to address the current issues in Klang,” asked Santiago.

He added that Tan too had failed to solve the existing problems in Klang despite being a representative for two terms.
               
Among the issues the people in Klang want immediate solution are the local problems involving squatter issues, especially in Kampung Papan as well as the increasing crime level. And then there are also the bigger issues of education, security, inflation, and other related issues.

Santiago also expressed his regret on the Election Commission’s shocking decision yesterday to cancel the use of indelible ink in this general election.

opposition ceramah in klang botanic 020308 charles santiagoHe said the use of the indelible ink could have deterred phantom voters from casting their votes, adding that he was fearful of the phantom voters’ menace in Klang.

“I keep hearing that Klang has some 3,000 to 4,000 phantom voters,” he said.

He added that it would be unfortunate if there are phantom voters in Klang as they would be depriving the rights of the locals to elect their chosen representative.

He said that even today a voter came to him to complain that two unidentified persons were registered as voters in her house.

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