PETALING JAYA: Pahang DAP chief Leong Ngah Ngah has scoffed at the idea that fielding a Malay candidate will help Barisan Nasional (BN) win back the Raub parliamentary seat in the coming general election (GE14).
Speaking to FMT, he said he doubted the veracity of a claim by Raub Umno secretary Tengku Abdul Rahman Perang that 50% of the Malays who voted for the opposition in GE13 had now become fence-sitters.
According to a Bernama report, Tengku Abdul Rahman said the Malays in Raub, who form the majority, would like to see BN field a Malay candidate.
But Leong said the race of the candidate was important only to BN.
“Let Umno and MCA talk about race,” he said. “Pakatan Harapan is more interested in bringing change to the country.”
Mohd Ariff Sabri Abdul Aziz captured the seat for DAP in 2013. He got 23,415 votes against BN candidate Hoh Khai Mun’s 20,601.
Between 1978 and 2013, Raub was represented in Parliament by BN MPs from MCA. They included former MCA president Tan Koon Swan and former MCA Wanita chief Ng Yen Yen.
Mohd Ariff suffered a stroke in May last year and is not expected to defend the seat in GE14.
A well placed source in Pahang DAP recently said the party would be fielding a Chinese candidate in Raub although it is a Malay-majority area.
The source told FMT the choice was between DAP vice-chairman Teresa Kok, former Selangor exco Ronnie Liu and Leong.
Asked whether DAP would consider fielding a Malay candidate instead if BN were to field one, Leong said it was unlikely.
“We will not waste time or resources worrying about race,” he said. “It is the preoccupation with race that has made our country backward.”