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Dr M making waves in Bentong, says DAP man

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Wong Tack claims that the ex-PM has a lot of fans among both the Malays and Chinese.

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PETALING JAYA:
Environmental activist Wong Tack, who was DAP’s candidate for Bentong in the last general election, rejects the notion that Pakatan Harapan leader Mahathir Mohamad is popular only among rural Malays.

He told FMT the former prime minister also had admirers among the Chinese and many of them who were residents of Bentong were looking forward to his visit to the town.

Mahathir was supposed to make the visit last Feb 10 to coincide with a PPBM programme. However, both the visit and the programme were postponed on the advice of the PPBM chief’s doctor.

Wong, who came close to defeating MCA leader Liow Tiong Lai in the 2013 election, was commenting on remarks by some pundits that Mahathir’s role in Pakatan Harapan was only to draw the support of rural Malays and hardcore Umno supporters.

“A lot of people think the Chinese are upset with Mahathir,” he said. “That is not true. The Chinese are very practical, business-minded people. During Mahathir’s rule, there might have been a few people who were oppressed, but at the same time all the businesses were doing well.

“The Chinese have a proverb: ‘If the water is too clear, no fish can survive.’ They can accept some corruption as long as everyone lives prosperously together and those in power don’t steal it all.”

Wong claimed that many voters in Bentong, including the Chinese, had welcomed Mahathir’s participation in Pakatan Harapan and that it had resulted in increased support for the opposition alliance.

“Tun M cancelled his visit at the last minute a few weeks ago, but even then the Tun M effect is creating political ripples here,” he said.

He warned Barisan Nasional that even the rural folk were now getting their news from sources other than the mainstream media.

“Almost everyone in the rural areas now has smart phones,” he said. “The rural folk can now see that people in power are living grandiose, luxurious lives while the ordinary people suffer.”

According to the government census for 2010, 57.2% of Bentong residents were Malays, 33.4% Chinese and 9% Indians.

In GE13, 45% of the voters were Malays, 44% Chinese and 9% Indians.

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