BERA: Gerakan’s Tan Tin Loon is hoping to be third time lucky when he takes on DAP incumbent Leong Yu Man in his bid to end the opposition’s 28-year dominance in the Triang state seat during the 14th General Election(GE14).
The 50-year-old who is expected to be named by Barisan Nasional (BN) to contest the seat for the third consecutive time wants to put his back-to-back (2008 and 2013) defeats behind and look at winning the hearts and minds of the voters.
Tan said the decision to elect the candidate is in the hands of the voters as they should give BN an opportunity to serve the people and bring changes to the state constituency which has been a DAP-stronghold since 1990.
“After losing in 2008, I thought we could cause an upset in 2013 but we lost. Despite the defeat, Gerakan has continued to work here and the people seemed to have accepted us but it now depends on polling day. The people here informed me that they want a recreational park, find solutions for land related issues and even build a police station but nothing has been done.
“They often become emotional during polling day and end up picking the opposition. I hope they will be more rational and give BN an opportunity to serve them. If they want to see changes, then the people here have to be the agent of change... it is up to them to decide,” he said when contacted.
Tan, who is also the Triang Gerakan branch chairman, urged pro-opposition elderly voters in the constituency to think of the future of their children by giving BN the opportunity to bring about changes.
“The opposition has been in power since 1990 and it is time for the young people to make the effort to bring change (vote BN) or else they are not going to get any benefits. Gerakan is committed to implement new things which would change the landscape of Triang but we need the people’s mandate,” he said.
Tan, who is still waiting for an official announcement on his candidacy, said although he was a Bera district office councillor but there was little he could do especially when raising issues that required immediate attention.
“Even Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi during his visit here on Monday promised the people in Triang that they are set to enjoy various developments if they choose BN in GE14,” he said.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Zahid during their visit to Bera had in their speeches expressed their hope to see BN winning back the Triang state seat, long held by DAP.
In 2008, DAP’s Leong Ngah Ngah, a five-term Triang assemblyman, brushed aside Tan by winning with a 2,469 majority before Leong’s daughter Yu Man beat Tan by 5,009 majority in 2013.