GE15: [Watch] MCA Candidate Cries And Begs For Votes In Kuantan
Quek believes that BN and MCA can provide the best service to the people.
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Election fever has gripped the country ahead of the 15th General Election’s (GE15) polling day this 19 November, and politicians, both upstarts and veterans, are leaving nothing to chance.
Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for Indera Mahkota, Datuk Quek Tai Seong, ‘begged’ and ‘cried’ for the people of Kuantan to vote for him as their MP.
Speaking at a dinner, the MCA man urged the audience to give him the strength to serve the rakyat.
Quek said MCA has plans to help the rakyat, but first, they need to vote for BN.
A recording of his speech has gone viral and widely shared on social media, including Whatsapp.
Please give me the strength. Please don’t say you don’t support MCA. We have many things we want to do for the people. So please, you must support me. I beg you.
BN candidate for Indera Mahkota, Quek Tai Seong, begging for votes.
Quek was so passionate in his speech that he appeared to be in tears.
He spoke to a large audience who seemed distracted by their meals at a dining hall in Kuantan.
His ‘desperation’ is understandable, given that he has an uphill task.
Willing And Able
Quek, 43, the MCA division chairman, Pahang MCA secretary and MCA central committee, has extensive experience in administrative affairs.
Previously, he was a senior manager at a multinational company, British Petroleum.
In June 2022, Quek was appointed as the political secretary to Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong, the MCA president.
Being fluent in Malay has been an asset for Quek in his campaigning.
He has been called Mat Quek by the Malay voters while campaigning.
Quek has been serving the community here since 2006, when he started working as a special officer to then Semambu state assemblyman Datuk Pang Tsu Ming.
In this GE15, he will face not only the seat’s incumbent, Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidate Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah, but also Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate Zuraidi Ismail and Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang) candidate Dr Mohamad Nor Sundari.
Biar Jelasss. Ayuh warga Kuantan terutama Indera Mahkota, tolakk Saifuddin, pengkhianat kerusi dan bangsa! Kembalikan semula kerusi tersebut kepada PKR yang telah lama memenangi kerusi itu. https://t.co/ypaTvDQHEE
— Muhd Omar (@mhdomarr) November 16, 2022
Quek also faced opposition from Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate Zuraidi Ismail and Tanah Air Party (Pejuang) candidate Dr Mohamad Nor Sundari.
The issues in Indera Mahkota include land issues, welfare and upgrading of infrastructure such as roads.
Quek’s spirited campaigning has drawn praise from top BN leaders, including its treasurer-general, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.
Kagum semangat jentera #BN 📍P082 Indera Mahkota. Tidak kira Parlimen Indera Mahkota, Quek Tai Seong; DUN Beserah, Haji Mustaffar; atau DUN Semambu, Haji Khairul – semua cukup dikenali. Ini petanda baik ke arah pencapaian positif pada 19hb nanti! 💙#KestabilanDanKemakmuran pic.twitter.com/3NDfcj9wlP
— Hishammuddin Hussein 🇲🇾 (@HishammuddinH2O) November 10, 2022
READ MORE: [GE15] Lee Chong Wei Denies Helping Barisan Nasional, Says Anyone Can Invite Him
A Lost Cause?
MCA cannot expect to be handed the Chinese votes in GE15, as observation shows many may give their votes to DAP.
MCA has been struggling to win the hearts of the Chinese voters, and it will also have to continue depending on UMNO to remain relevant.
Between 2003 and 2008, MCA won 31 of the 40 parliamentary seats and 76 of the 90 state seats allocated.
From there, the party’s popularity dropped faster than the ringgit’s value.
In the 2013 General Election, MCA was given the moniker ‘7-11’ after winning only 7 of the 37 parliamentary seats and 11 of the 90 state seats it contested.
Haha. Just like my personal Twitch streams 😂
— Kenn Leandre didn’t pay for ➡️ (@kennleandre) November 15, 2022
MCA’s GE15 ‘grand ceramah’ in Cheras draws fewer than 30 people, in person and online https://t.co/3CdvbFhPIg
In the 2018 election, MCA recorded its worst-ever defeat.
It lost all state seats it has contested save for one elected representative in the Parliament.
On Its Last Legs
In Malay, they have a saying that sums it up: ‘Hidup Segan, Mati Tak Mau’ (too timid to live, but unwilling to die).
These days, MCA has become the butt of jokes, especially among the Chinese community.
They poked fun at the party’s method of attracting voters, which included singing and dancing shows with free beer.
@shinichikeesoon Kempen pilihanraya MCA @ Triang?
♬ original sound – Shinichi Kee Soon
Lain macam ye strategi Ahmad Maslan untuk penduduk Pontian kali ni😂 pic.twitter.com/FXcfPKRbXs
— CIKY🔺NIE (@lady_bugg11) November 15, 2022
Many Chinese also continue to resent the party for its subservience to Umno.
Across the racial divide, MCA had been accused of being anti-Islam, especially for its stance against hudud.
Btw jangan undi BN sebb ada MCA yg anti Islam pic.twitter.com/CCfvXOngKc
— Just Ad (@zah_ad) November 16, 2022
Nevertheless, MCA continues to show a never say die spirit.
Its persistence paid off when MCA won four state seats at the Johor state election in September.
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