It is unhealthy for race relations when the student population in Chinese schools is 99.9% Chinese, Tamil schools is 100% Indian and national schools, dubbed Malay schools, is 80% to 90% Malay.

SERIOUSLY, the government should allow the use of English as a medium of instruction in schools again. If there are Chinese and Tamil primary schools alongside national schools, there is no reason for Malaysians not to have other options.

At present, the other option for better English proficiency is in private schools, which allocate more time for the teaching of English despite following the national school syllabus. However, it is an expensive option that only a few can afford.

Why should the right of Malaysians to study in English-medium schools be enjoyed only by those who can afford to study at international schools?

There are many good reasons for English-medium schools to be reintroduced, chief of which must surely be the language’s neutral status whereby no one can claim ownership to it.

Older Malaysians who went to English-medium schools can testify that it was in such an environment that they made many friends of all ethnic backgrounds.

The English schools, as they were popularly referred to, were neutral grounds and were real cultural melting pots.

Friendship cultivated at primary school level among Malaysians of different races and religions would always be strong and deep. Our current primary school system basically does not provide such opportunities for our young ones to mix.

We do get to mix with one another later on in life, but working relationships that are untested or superficial are not true friendships.

Older Malaysians can narrate long stories of how they used to sleep over at their friends’ homes, eating with their friends’ families and parents of their friends treating them like their own children. These friendships continued even after they went to university, entered working life, and got married.

These are the kinds of friends who would be part of the wedding entourage, either on the side of the bride or bridegroom.

I am now 52 years old. I believe I was among the last batch of Malaysians who had the privilege of being taught in English.

While some may dismiss what I have said as elitist or an attempt to glorify English at the expense of the national language, let me set the record straight. In Form 6, I opted to study Malay Literature and sat for the exam in Upper Six, which was then called Higher School Certificate and is the equivalent of the STPM today. It was also the entrance exam into local universities. I also studied Islamic History.

During my first year at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, I also chose Malay Letters as one of my three majors. At UKM, it is also compulsory to pass the Islamic Civilisation course, which was a basic course on Islam. I have also amassed a huge collection of books on Islam in my private library, and the works of Malay artists like Yusuf Ghani and Ismail Latiff continue to inspire me.

I dare say many of our politicians and leaders of so-called non-governmental organisations, who loudly make statements with racial overtones, do not even have such credentials.

But the point I am making is that more and more Chinese parents are sending their children to Chinese primary schools because they believe the standard of teaching and discipline in these schools is better. For the same reason, the number of Malay students at such schools has also increased.

But most Malay parents send their children to national schools where they form the bulk of the student population. Over the years, the national schools have been seen by many Chinese as becoming more religious in nature.

It’s a Catch 22 situation. If the Chinese are shunning national schools, then the students in these schools would be predominantly Malay.

The Federal Constitution guarantees the position of Chinese and Tamil schools. No politician, whether in Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat, would dare to make any statement against these vernacular schools.

But the reality is that it is unhealthy when the student population in Chinese schools is 99.9% Chinese, Tamil schools is 100% Indian and national schools, dubbed Malay schools, is 80% to 90% Malay!

It is meaningless to talk about 1Malaysia when our children have no friends of other races in their formative years! Many Malaysians in their 30s and 40s now are already in this situation.

Just ask Malaysians at random how many real friends of other races, not colleagues, customers or bosses, they have. Be honest.

Is it any wonder then that the Malays are incredulous when they see Chinese Malaysians who can’t speak Bahasa Malaysia well or even refuse to speak Bahasa among themselves?

The Chinese, on the other hand, still wonder why some Malay quarters continue to ask what else the Chinese want when they find that some policies are working against them and make them feel discriminated.

This is happening because race relations have taken a beating. The various races are not talking or trying to understand one another. Each side only sees its own viewpoint without appreciating that in a complex and plural society like ours, no one group can have its way completely.

We have churned out bigots in our schools. It also doesn’t help that the various races are only watching channels in their own languages on Astro. The only time they probably watch the same channel is when an English Premier League football match is on.

If we are serious about restoring the standard of English in schools and improving race relations in this country, bring back the English-medium schools. Let Malaysians choose.

While some politicians are still indulging in racial remarks, young Malaysians were celebrating their icon Datuk Sudirman Haji Arshad at the preview of ‘Chow Kit Road! Chow Kit Road! The Musical’.

I ATTENDED the preview of Chow Kit Road! Chow Kit Road! The Musical on Thursday. It was such a refreshing change after the prolonged and practically endless talk of late about politics.

Compared with the heated, and sometimes destructive, political discussions that tear people apart, this musical will do the opposite and bring people together. One could definitely feel the positive vibes generated at Istana Budaya where the show will run until May 26.

While some politicians are still indulging in racial remarks, young Malaysians were celebrating their icon Datuk Sudirman Haji Arshad at the preview.

It was really an eye-opener because most of the performers and reporters present probably were not even born when Sudirman was at the height of his popularity.

But they have read about, as well as heard and watched the pint-sized singer on YouTube, and they are mesmerised by him, as we older Malaysians had been in our time.

That was the magic of Sudirman – he could bring Malaysians of all races together. He didn’t need to make a speech. All he did was sing and that was enough.

His songs, now classics, were all in Malay but every Malaysian regardless of their ethnic background could identify with them.

Thanks to the efforts of a group of talented Malaysians, we are now able to re-live our memories of this singer.

The musical is written by Amry Ruhaiyat and Saw Teong Him, and Jamie Wilson of Akash is the music director. The hugely talented Saw, as we all know, is the famed director of the movie Puteri Gunung Ledang.

The Penang-born filmmaker also directed the musical Hoore! Hoore!, a film that was also based on the songs of Sudirman, last year.

Chow Kit Road! producer is Sabera Shaik, founder of the Masakini Theatre Company.

It has been an expensive journey for the people who produced this musical simply for the love of theatre. The production cost alone is RM1mil and they are doing this without any support from corporate sponsors.

The timing, from a fundraising point of view, could not have been worse. Yes, the general election is over and the musical may be a welcome break after the exhausting campaign period. But I doubt the corporate sector is in the mood to listen to the producers’ pleas for financial support.

The feel-good musical features 20 of Sudirman’s songs, including Pesta Dunia, Basikal Tua, Milik Siapakah Gadis Ini and Langit Petang.

The story revolves around the life of a brash, jobless young man named Ilham, played by Anding Indrawani (Akademi Fantasia alum and actor), who grew up in the notorious neighbourhood of Chow Kit in Kuala Lumpur. He becomes involved in a bet where a snobbish socialite is challenged to turn him into a gentleman.

Three mak Datins have thrown each other a challenge – if Datin Jamilah (Adibah Noor) manages to transform Ilham into a well-mannered youth with a proper job, they will fork out the money to build a community centre in Chow Kit.

She is successful but in the process, her daughter Maya (Nadia Aqilah) falls in love with Ilham, much to Jamilah’s chagrin.

But I wouldn’t want to spoil your interest by revealing how the story ends.

I believe all Malaysians should support this show, so bring the whole family to watch with you. If you found time to listen to political ceramah and donated to political causes, whether at the ceramah or directly to the parties, it’s time to lend your support to the arts.

The artistes, through musicals like this one, have succeeded where politicians have failed in bringing joy, inspiration and greater meaning to our lives,

There’s also a personal interest here: Saw is a former schoolmate of mine at St Xavier’s Institution and Adibah is a colleague at Suria FM, a radio station under the The Star Media Group.

Incidentally, the opening day this month of Chow Kit Road! Chow Kit Road! almost coincides with the date of the late Sudirman’s legendary concert in Chow Kit Road on April 14, 1986.

Over the past two weeks, perfectly rational people appear to have lost their sense of logic and are unable to differentiate between rumours and the truth.

THE general election this time has been fiercely fought with both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat predicting victory.

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has said his coalition will retain power at the federal level, with Selangor and Kedah possibly returning to Barisan. Meanwhile, his opponent Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is already talking of declaring Monday a holiday after Pakatan’s victory.

Talk to Barisan leaders and the prediction is a victory of 130-138. The more ambitious ones say it could reach 140. But no one has dared to commit themselves to a two-thirds win of 148 seats. The simple majority is 112.

Barisan seems convinced that Sabah and Sarawak remain as “safe deposits” although it has conceded that the going is tough in a few Kadazan constituencies in Sabah’s urban areas.

Pakatan leaders, on the other hand, have also said Putrajaya will be theirs. They claim that Pakatan will govern in seven states, and that a few extra seats from Sabah and Sarawak will be enough to let them win narrowly at federal level.

Supporters of both sides have been psyched up to believe that victory is theirs. And that’s the danger. Expectations are so high that anything below what they believe is theirs would be met with tremendous disappointment.

The losers on either side will find the results unacceptable and unbelievable simply because their expectations have not been fulfilled.

Over the past two weeks, perfectly rational people, including my friends, appeared to have lost their sense of logic. Caught up in the emotional frenzy of the campaign, many could not differentiate between rumours and the truth.

No one has taken the trouble to verify any information, including obvious fictitious allegations, before they happily pass it on to their friends via their Facebook and other social media platforms. And, of course, they will embellish the stories with their own comments.

Many Malaysians who talk only to friends and relatives of their own race begin to believe that these views are an accurate repre­sentation of Malaysia.

The middle-class Chinese, of whom at least 80% are likely to vote Pakatan, in particular DAP, believe that Barisan will collapse. They are sure that they are the kingmakers in this election and all they want to do is to vote Barisan out of power, period.

Unfortunately, many of us do not see the bigger picture because we do not read the news, whether mainstream or alternative, in another language. In fact, many of us choose to read newspapers or online portals that suit our political sentiments and we expect them to resonate with the overall political sentiments of the nation.

It is ironic that while The Star has been accused of being pro-Barisan by DAP, there is a pro-Barisan blogger who has dedicated herself to bashing The Star on a daily basis as she counts the number of DAP news items and pictures that appear in this newspaper!

Then there is a news portal that is 100% slanted to the opposition but its contents are regarded as the Biblical truth, objective and fair.

In the rural heartland where the bulk of seats are located and where the winner will be decided, the warfare seems to be fought in a much quieter way. Without any mega ceramah to indicate the size of their support, their preferences will only be known tonight.

Will the Malay votes swing to Pakatan this time or will they remain faithful to Barisan and thus seal in another win for Barisan?

Non-Malay voters who want to see change need to follow closely the results in these 100-odd seats out of the 222 available.

There are at least 50 constituencies covering Felda schemes. The settlers are traditionally Barisan supporters but will their children, many of whom are coming home to vote, be as well?

Talk about electoral fraud. There have been reports that foreigners are coming in from Bangladesh, Indonesia and Pakistan by the planeloads to vote here. According to these reports, some 4,500 Bangladeshis and Indonesians, as well as some China dolls, landed at KLIA on 16 flights in one day. That means 281 passengers per flight although a MAS Airbus can only take a maximum of 220 passengers.

Then there is this talk that 40,500 of the so-called foreigners have entered Malaysia in just seven days, which works out to 5,785 of them arriving per day. The figure must have included people coming in boats from Chittagong or trekking down from the Himalayas past the border, because the earlier figure was 4,500 via 16 flights.

To get 4,500, one needs 20 flights a day on an Airbus A320, and this also means KLIA and LCCT would resemble Dhaka as these groups of arrivals pass through. Even though it is mathematically mind-boggling, these reports may still whip up anger.

But emotions and anger have got the better of us, even at places of worship where these rumours and tall tales are being happily shared with the faithful.

The propaganda is convincing because an e-mail, purportedly leaked from AirAsia, telling of top officials being summoned to the Prime Minister’s Office is being reproduced on Facebook.

Yes, AirAsia is being implicated as well, besides MAS. So Tan Sri Tony Fernandes has to make sure none of his AA flights is delayed to enable these Bangladeshis to vote on time!

On Facebook, foreign workers dressed up in their uniforms have been labelled as voters while a few construction workers wearing Barisan T-shirts have also been similarly accused.

Someone has even posted a video of his Indonesian maid repeating that she “heard” her friends have been given identity cards to vote. There’s plenty of “heard’’ in the video but it has nonetheless been posted as yet another “evidence” of electoral fraud.

Malaysians on both sides must be vigilant but our foreign workers should not be unnecessarily manhandled today. Barisan believes it has enough Malay votes to retain Putrajaya and does not need foreigners.

Furthermore, a victory that involves cheating brings no honour. It is unacceptable and fair-minded Malaysians will not accept it.

When the last votes are counted tonight, we hope the winner is Malaysia. We may have grown more divided politically over the past few years but we are all growing up politically. The days when Malaysians have no political views are over.

In any growing-up process, there will be pains. Many of us are still on the rough edge, judging from the nasty and childish postings on Facebook, but we will get over that eventually.

We are now able to articulate our views. The next maturing process is to make sure we are able to look at things in a more rational, mature manner and to accept that everyone is entitled to his political choice.

That’s what democracy is about – making a choice. Democracy has many flaws and sometimes we end up making a wrong choice but it is still the best political system.

To be able to choose whether it’s the devil we know or the devil we don’t know is still the best way. We must learn to respect choices and to accept the decision of the majority of Malaysians tonight.

Godspeed and good luck, Malaysia!

Meeting the people: Liow speaking during an NGO dinner in Bentong.

Lurah Bilut stands tall as the nation’s first Felda scheme, pioneered by settlers from all races from different parts of the country.

LURAH BILUT is just about 19km away from Bentong. It is a huge piece of fertile land located near Sungai Bilut and the Kelau forest reserve.

It is safe to say that most Malaysians, especially those staying in the cities, have never heard of this place and have no reason to come here.

But Lurah Bilut is not only the first Felda scheme in the country but one that was pioneered by settlers from all races after independence.

In this 12,920-acre (5,228ha) enclave, located within the Bentong parliamentary constituency, there are Malays, Chinese, Indians and the Orang Asli, and their children can go to either the national school or the national-type schools where the medium is in Chinese or Tamil.

The scheme was opened in 1957 and each settler was given 10 acres (4ha) of land. According to records, the first batch of settlers who entered the scheme on Aug 2, 1959, was from Datuk Keramat, Kuala Lumpur. They were brought into the area by bus and were shocked to find themselves in a jungle.

One Chinese settler, who arrived here in 1959 from Negri Sembilan with just his clothes on his back, was given tools to hack away at the dense growth, according to one report. There is one road here called Jalan Pulau Pinang, because the settlers came from Penang.

As with everything that is new and untested, the settlers had to be imbued with a sense of adventure. Certainly they could not foresee the success that Felda would turn out to be eventually. Thus these early settlers in Lurah Bilut came to be known as the Pioneering Bulls and have become some kind of a legend in this Felda scheme.

Felda was set up to eradicate rural poverty through the use of effective agricultural methods to cultivate cash crops such as rubber and oil palm. In recent years, there has also been special emphasis on diversification to deal with the fluctuations in commodity prices.

On my visit to this Felda scheme, it was clear that many were eager to share their experiences with me. There is a sense of pride over what has taken place here.

Strategising: Wong meeting with his team of campaigners at his service centre in Bentong.

I am sitting at a restaurant opposite the Lurah Bilut Chinese school where the Barisan Nasional campaigners are having their lunch break.

A vegetarian meal has been prepared for incumbent MP Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai and as he sat down at the table, the MCA deputy president invited those at the table to share his vegetarian dishes.

But many jokingly told him that they would take his share of meat instead, a joke which he has heard many times.

The Bentong parliamentary seat which Liow won with a 12,585 majority when he polled 51,340 votes against his PKR opponent R. Ponusamy’s 12,585 votes is regarded as a safe seat for the Barisan Nasional.

The current electorate of 62,400 voters comprise 43.9% Chinese, 44.6% Malays, 9.4% Indians, 0.5% Orang Asl and the rest, others.

Liow is expected to deliver this seat to the BN but no one is taking any chances this time because of the perception that the Chinese sentiments against the BN are very strong, even in Bentong where they have always been traditionally pro-BN.

Even the Bilut state seat, held by the MCA, is under threat from the Pakatan Rakyat. Liow has to work extra hard to campaign for 36-year-old Leong Kim Soon, who is contesting this seat. Leong’s grand uncle is the late Tan Sri Chan Siang Sun, who was the legendary MP for Bentong.

Leong, who is the political secretary to Liow, is facing DAP’s Chow Yu Hui.

In this rural setting, the two have gone from door to door, under the hot afternoon sun, to shake the hands of every voter.

Said a campaigner: “This is a crucial area as it is racially mixed and we want to cover as much ground as possible.”

Unlike the Felda schemes in Johor, especially, where Pakatan Rakyat candidates are literally chased away by the settlers, the PR workers have been able to put up their flags and banners, an indication that a fight is at hand.

In the Bentong town centre, Liow’s challenger is Wong Tack, who made a name for himself as the anti-Lynas campaigner. In his green T-shirt, Wong was raising environment issues but his credentials have taken a knock after he was exposed as the owner of a 1,000-acre (404ha) oil palm estate in Sabah.

Wong also had to fend off the revelation that he held Canadian permanent residence status, explaining that it was cancelled by the Canadian authorities because he did not go back to the country.

But the BN campaigners have been hammering on that issue, questioning why there was a need for him to collect donations at every ceramah when he is pretty well off financially.

They asked how many of the voters, especially settlers, could even dream of owning 1,000 acres of land and if they knew how much money had been collected so far.

But Wong seems undeterred by these issues, saying he was well-prepared to challenge Liow for Bentong, and also Mentri Besar Datuk Adnan Yaacob, who is contesting in the Pelangai state seat, under Bentong.

Wong’s campaigners, mostly youngsters, are visibly seen in town, especially at the market, where they aggressively tell voters to go for change.

One Universiti Malaya student said she had volunteered to canvass votes for Wong because she had been actively involved in the anti-Lynas campaign.

“My belief in him remains the same. I will still support him and the DAP, nothing will change my stand,’’ the third-year student said. She said her parents knew that she was campaigning and wholeheartedly supported her.

Her friends, many eager to express their views, said they were using their own expenses to stay in Bentong.

At the Bentong Jaya coffeeshop, the discussions focus on the sentiments of the Chinese, swayed by DAP’s talk that Pakatan Rakyat would take over the Federal Government. Only a few were cautiously warning about the implications of the Chinese voting themselves out of the government.

A businessman from Kuala Lumpur said he had been trying to explain to some Chinese voters that while their sentiments are pro-Pakatan, the majority of Malays would be backing Barisan.

“The huge crowd at DAP ceramah can be deceiving because the Malay style of campaigning, in Felda areas, is to have small get-together sessions, prayers at the suraus and house to house visits. As these are not visible, the Chinese think the huge crowd means PR would take over,” he said.

In Bentong, the local dialect is Kwong Sai, which originates from Guangxi province in southern China. As we continued with our drinks, the locals at the neighbouring tables were listening attentively.

The politicians and campaigners have been doing all the talking so far but come May 5, the voters will be doing the talking via the ballot box. The stand of the majority in Bentong would be known then.

For more election stories, please visit The Star’s GE13 site

This is a democratic country and we are free to voice our opinion. — International movie star Datuk Seri Michelle Yeoh defending her support of Barisan leader Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

The anger directed at those who do not share the same political beliefs is getting out of hand, especially in cyberspace.

SOMETHING is seriously wrong with us when anyone who expresses support for the Barisan Nasional is viciously attacked by cyber bullies. And this is more so when that person happens to be from the Chinese community.

To the fanatical supporters of Pakatan Rakyat, it is an unforgivable act of treason for anyone from that community to back the Barisan government.

The impression given, unfortunately, is that the Chinese must stand up against Barisan.

It seems ironic that the other major communities – Malays and Indians who are also being courted by both sides – are not subjected to the same “us-or-them” siege mentality.

It is a dangerous trend and, if not properly addressed, the cyber bullies, emboldened by the anonymous nature of the social media, would be further encouraged to intensify their attacks.

Their most high-profile target to date is international actress Datuk Seri Michelle Yeoh who is being vilified in cyberspace simply because she has exercised her democratic right to support the Barisan. She has made no secret of the fact that Barisan is her choice and that she genuinely believes Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is the best person to lead the country.

The whole point of having a general election is that the people are given freedom to choose who they think is the best political party to govern the country. Whether a voter chooses to support Barisan or Pakatan, that fundamental right must be respected.

Those who are Net-savvy, more than any other category of people, should be aware that it is a given in any democracy that cele­brities lend support to political parties.

Just check out the full list of actors and actresses, athletes, Nobel Prize laureates, etc, who openly endorsed either Barack Obama or Mitt Romney in their race to the White House. These are people whose appeal cut across all divides, yet they were not castigated when they openly stated their choice during the last US presidential election.

But here in Malaysia, when you do that, you risk being labelled as a running dog or traitor, and these are pretty mild terms when compared to other unprintable labels hurled at Barisan supporters. And you don’t even have to be a member of the ruling coalition.

One recent example was when pro-Opposition cyber troopers uploaded a photograph of a woman and accompanied it with harsh and vulgar comments.

The woman, a committee member of the Malaysian Youth Rights Movement, was also threatened with gang rape and murder over her stand on some issues.

We appear to be heading towards a fascist state, in cyberspace at least, when groups who do not share your political ideals will shout you down and punish you.

Incredibly, these cyber bullies have all along been telling us that they are fighting for freedom of expression and democracy, which they strongly feel are ideals missing from this country. Yet, they have become more monstrous than those who they claim are shackling our democratic liberties.

Blame it on the silly season or the heat of the elections but surely we as Malaysians must be able to conduct ourselves in a moderate manner instead of fanatically shouting down anyone who has a different viewpoint.

I am not spared either. I have received numerous e-mail ordering me to “repent” because I am seen to be inclined to the Barisan, which to these psychologically disturbed people is a sin to the church and congregation, thus the need to seek “forgiveness”.

It does not help when some pastors use the pulpit to deliver sermons and prayers which are skewed towards a certain party. What is worse, in some cases, are those pastors who parrot allegations picked up at ceramah and the social media without verifying the facts first.

Granted that we are all interested in the general election and all the issues that have been raised. This is a healthy development in a changing political landscape, but we need to remind ourselves that everyone is entitled to his or her choice.

There seems to be a “stereotype” mentality that if you fall within certain categories – race, religion, occupation, place of residence – your political affiliation is already confirmed.

And so we are inundated with similar e-mail each morning from friends and strangers who simply forward the mail without a thought to our real political leanings.

The social media has allowed many of us to connect through forums that bring together people who go to the same schools or universities, and come from similar professions and who share the same hobbies. Yet, even in these seemingly innocent forums, throw in a bit of politics, and people start to fight.

And what about those who are attacked simply by association? As one Barisan candidate told a forum at a church, the children and wives become targets even when they are not involved at all in politics.

Why do we place more importance on politicians rather than our friends, colleagues, neighbours or employers?

Long after the dust has settled, when we become ordinary people in an ordinary world, we will learn that most of the newly elected YBs will no longer be free to see to our needs.

The person who is all smiles while seeking your vote will suddenly be too busy to even take an appointment then. But the people you have forsaken in this short but silly season will be the ones who rally around you in your time of need.

I believe we should all be passionate about what we stand for, but let us also at the same time accord the same respect to those who think otherwise. Isn’t that what real democracy is all about, be it at home, the workplace, our place of worship or society at large?

For more election stories, please visit The Star’s GE13 site

The PKR candidate is making his second attempt for the Alor Setar parliamentary seat, but strangely, he and his father have only nice things to say about the incumbent.

ALOR Mengkudu is lined with huge Barisan Nasional and PAS flags. Located on the outskirts of Alor Setar, most of the voters are padi farmers and petty traders, who put religion first.

PKR candidate Gooi Hsiao Leung, who is making his second attempt for the Alor Setar parliamentary seat, has to meet voters at Surau Borham here.

It is unfamiliar ground but Gooi, who is tanned and has grown a goatee, is starting to look like one of the locals. It is only his formal manner of speaking Malay that is telling.

The young lawyer, who practises in Penang, lost to MCA vice-president Datuk Seri Chor Chee Heung, by a whisker, with just 184 votes separating the two in the 2008 general election.

Chor, the incumbent who has held the seat since 1990, polled 20,741 votes against Gooi’s 20,557. Interestingly enough, there were 1,757 spoilt votes in the close contest.

Today, the constituency has 69,189 registered voters, of which the Malays make up close to 62%, the Chinese 33% and the Indians 4%.

The three state seats under Alor Setar were split up among the DAP (Kota Darul Aman), PAS (Alor Mengkudu) and Barisan Nasional (Bakar Bata), which means the fight cannot be taken for granted.

The battle for Alor Setar is a four-way contest involving Chor, Gooi, Abdul Fisol Mohd of Berjasa and Jawahar Raja Abdul Wahid of Bersama.

Gooi is still regarded as a novice by political analysts but he is no stranger to politics.

His father, Gooi Hock Seng, was a DAP Member of Parliament while his uncle is Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, the Gerakan president.

As a child, he was used to seeing the family home being used by DAP leader Lim Kit Siang and other veterans like the late P. Patto, who used to sleep over when they gave talks in Penang.

Despite the intensity of the contest, one thing that has stood out is that it can truly be billed as a gentleman’s fight.

As I arrived here from Kuala Lumpur on a Sunday, it did not strike me that it was a working day, as the streets were rather quiet. Friday is the official weekend in Kedah.

At 9am, when I passed a church, it was nearly empty, while most of the shops had yet to open for business.

Over lunch, the father and son had only nice words to say about Chor – something which emotive Malaysian politicians and campaigners can learn from.

Apart from the political arena, the Goois have previously engaged Chor in the courts, as they are all lawyers.

At the headquarters of the Alor Setar MCA division, it is hive of activity as Chor meets reporters, party workers and voters, who trickle in to seek his assistance over constituency matters. While handling all these, he is multi-tasking, having to take non-stop calls on his mobile phone.

His Bahasa Malaysia, laced with thick northern accent, is near perfect and if one does not look at him, you would think he was a Malay.

“I am a man of the street. I enjoy meeting people at the coffee shops,” Chor said.

This is his strongest point, as his presence is felt in the constituency he has faithfully served for five terms.

Which is why his supporters are quick to point out that Gooi, after losing in the 2008 polls, “had abandoned Alor Setar.”

Gooi has dismissed such talk, saying that he comes to Alor Setar regularly for his court cases and remains the Kedah PKR legal bureau chief.

At the Zam Zam Nasi Lemak restaurant in Jalan Merpati, which sees a multi-racial crowd, I asked a 45-year-old Chinese businessman who he would be voting for.

“I would have voted for Pakatan Rakyat this time but I am sticking to Chor. He is always around the constituency and that matters. I am voting for Chor, not Barisan, okay?” he said.

He is angry with the many problems that has affected Malaysia, saying that his relatives living in other parts of Kedah were supporting PKR and DAP candidates.

But there are also other Chinese voters who have said that their support for PAS in 2008 has been a disaster, citing the closure of the abattoir, the ban on women performers at a Chinese New Year show at a mall, the 50% quota for bumis in housing properties and the sharp decline in investments and state revenue, resulting in the state government having to go on a massive logging exercise.

Said Lim Teik Boon, who works in Kuala Lumpur, when met at another table: “The Chinese in other states who love PAS so much should come and live here, see what it’s like. If you say under PAS, there’s no corruption, it’s simply because there are no businesses.”

At another table, a Malay customer, while sipping his kopi kaw, said he would still back the BN because he believed in the Prime Minister’s transformation plan. He is also not giving his state vote to the DAP either.

The in-fighting within the Kedah DAP is a talking point here. Its chief Lee Guan Aik has been dropped from the race completely. When Pakatan Rakyat announced its candidates at the PAS headquarters in Kota Sarang Semut, Lee and other DAP officials stayed away.

In Alor Mengkudu, incumbent PAS assemblyman Datuk Dr Ismail Salleh – who had rebelled against Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak – has been packed off to contest the Jerlun parliamentary seat.

MCA campaigners said they are better prepared this election after scrapping through in 2008.

Datuk Chong Itt Chew, the state MCA chief, said the party has been working on the “black areas” since the last polls and he believes they have recovered the lost votes.

Political analysts still regard Alor Setar as a “grey area” because of the three-figure majority in the 2008 polls.

It remains to be seen if there is a real turnaround as even BN campaigners have admitted that in the urban sections of Alor Setar, the sentiments against the BN remain strong.

For Chor, the burden is heavy, as Alor Setar is among the 15 MCA parliamentary seats that the party expects to retain.

For more election stories, please visit The Star’s GE13 site