Chew: Stiff challenge but I believe BN can defeat PR
Chee Yuan Gho & Patrick Sennyah, FZ.com
HOOKED up to drips and an oxygen mask, the first thing Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun asked reporters who visited her in hospital about six years ago was about the plight of residents in Sungai Lembing whom she was going to visit.
At that time, the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry’s parliamentary secretary, Chew and three others escaped death when their car skidded and crashed into a divider about 12.30pm at KM196 of the highway near Maran.
The car spun several times and Chew was flung out of the car and landed several metres away. The others injured were her driver, confidential secretary and a volunteer.
Recalling the incident, Chew, 50, the former two term Petaling Jaya Utara MP said she was lucky to be alive and thanked God that no one was killed in the horrific incident.
Chew, who went on to become the MCA Wanita chief resigned from the post on April 8, 2010, two weeks after Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek won the presidential election to keep her promise that she would quit if Dr Chua became party president.
On April 28 the same year, she also resigned as a Senator and Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister.
After almost a four-year hiatus, the bubbly, hardworking Chew, now an MCA vice-president looks set to make a comeback and remains positive despite the stiff challenge from PKR president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
The Barisan Nasional hopeful took a few minutes off her tight campaign schedule to share a few words with fz.com.
In your opinion, what are the main problems here and how do you plan on resolving it if elected?
Based on the feedback during my walkabouts over the past 20 days, I can conclude that the people here are generally concerned about the traffic congestion, cleanliness in their neighbourhoods and flash floods.
For me, resolving traffic problems here would be my first priority. In order to do so, I will come out with an action plan on how to fully utilise the Mass Rapid Transit when it starts its operations.
We must find an effective way to reduce the number of cars on the road or else the traffic condition will continue to worsen.
I am also aware that Kajang lacks parking space. Therefore we have to provide more parking lots to ensure smooth traffic.
I will discuss the matter with traffic experts and other professionals to formulate a practical plan on how we can resolve this without affecting the existing buildings in the area.
Secondly, I will come up with a flood mitigation plan to address the flash flood problem across the Kajang constituency.
As far as I am concerned, the residents here, especially in Kampung Baru Sungai Chua are always confronted with flash floods. I have been told that the water rose quickly whenever it poured. As a result, residents were living in constant fear.
Apart from that, I also noted that the cleanliness in Kajang is not up to the standards which possibly resulted in Hulu Langat emerging as one of the districts with the highest number of dengue cases.
I will keep the authorities on their toes and closely monitor their service delivery efficiency so that no one will suffer due to their incompetency.”
How are you going to handle the attacks from the Opposition thrown against you and Barisan Nasional?
I really cannot understand why they (Opposition) always like to make something out of nothing. I find it weird why a Member of Parliament cannot help the public to resolve their community issues?
Indeed, community issues can be considered tiny, but it affects everyone. I was once dubbed as “MP Longkang” by them due to my highlighting filthy, clogged drains and constantly urging the authorities to take action.
This is a non-issue. For me, a good MP should mix well with the people and be ready to assist them whenever they need.
I promise that I will personally serve the constituents at all times instead of delegating the responsibility to assistants. I also pledge not to change my telephone number so that people can contact me anytime.
