Chew’s charm wins over villagers
RAUB: Loke Ching Hoi looked a forlorn figure, resting in his rundown village home in Kampung Sang Lee here when an entourage came knocking on his door.
The elderly man got up from his lazy chair to greet them, and the surprised look on his face slowly turned into delight when he recognised one of them.
“I know who you are ... (Datin Paduka) Chew Mei Fun,” Loke, 78, said as he was led to meet a bespectacled woman from the group.
“How are you? Have you eaten?” Chew asked Loke.
She chatted with Loke like old friends before giving him food gifts.
When met later, Loke said he is a bachelor who seldom gets visitors.
“I am surprised she actually paid me a visit. I am nobody and yet she came to my small house,” he said.
Loke said he used to do odd jobs to support himself but now he survived on monthly welfare.
He hoped that Chew, if elected, would assist poor people like him.
Another resident, Wong Ah Moi, 84, was also happy to see her.
She tried to get up from her wheelchair but was quickly stopped by Chew. They spoke for more than 10 minutes.
Wong repeatedly asked the MCA vice-president to stay on for lunch.
“She has been working hard for over two years to serve the people.
“I read a lot about her in the Chinese papers,” said the mother of 11 children.
Wong said come polling day, she would be among the first in line, never missing a chance to vote.
Another villager, Sai Lan, 80, was also eager to cast her vote.
“I want a hard-working representative who can speak up for us and solve our problems,” she said.
Sai said she would vote with her conscience and not propaganda.
“Bread and butter issues, service and development are all that matter to us,” she added.
On Thursday, Pahang Barisan named Chew as its candidate for the Raub parliamentary seat and Ng Leap Pong for the Tras state seat.
Chew had assisted the people here the past few years to resolve their problems when she was a deputy minister before her term as senator ended in June last year.
She will be involved in a three-cornered fight against Dr Mohamed Nilam Abdul Manap from PAS and DAP’s Tengku Zulpuri Shah Raja Puji.
Chew said she was ready for the tough battle with the Opposition.
“I will give them a good fight. I have met them during my rounds.
“All of us are now on the ground, going all out to woo voters,” she said.