Met her last Sunday while she was taking a break from a briefing held at PKR stalwart Hj Suhaimi Said’s residence in Temerloh. Earlier, she took centrestage at the briefing and mesmerized her audience with her candidness and almost informal presentation. This feisty lady, Selangor state Exco and Bukit Lanjan assemblyperson, gave me a chance of an interview. Not many chances like this for me, here in the backwoods, to an interview with someone of Eli’s fame and stature. Unlike the CJs in the Klang Valley or Penang.
I didn’t get to know of her being at the meeting until I reached Hj Suhaimi’s house. I was unprepared. ‘Now’, said I,’ what am I going to ask her?’ It was obvious to her, to my embarrassment. Instead of giving me a piece of her mind, she thought up of a question that she would like to answer. I cringed in agreement.
The question is, ‘Is PKR going to win Hulu Selangor?’. ‘Definitely’, she answered with gusto. ‘Why?’. She then detailed out a list of things that PKR has done within two years. To her, PKR is getting better than it was two years ago. She mentioned the term ‘Merakyatkan Ekonomi’ or ‘Peopleizing of the Economy’ created by the State Government has channeled or distributed State’s wealth to the rakyats of Selangor. Whatever the State Government gets, it will distribute to its citizens. One is termed as a citizen of Selangor, or anak Selangor, after they have stayed in Selangor for at least five years.
The State also pays its senior citizens, or people above 60, RM2500, regardless of race, religion or party. This practice is called ‘Mesra Usia Emas’ or literally translated, Loving Golden Years. Selangor also provides a fund for health purposes, for citizens with health problems like for a cataract operation, dialysis or for small surgery.
There is also a program for the children of estate workers in getting a better education. And talking about education, there is also an allocation of 12 million ringgit building fund for national and vernacular schools. There is also allocation for those who manage to get into the university.
‘The MB is approachable, by anyone.’ This is not like before, I guess. She told me that he even received an unrehearsed show of support when he was given a standing ovation by a group of people when he was casually visiting a town.
She cited an example where, an old mining town of South Kinta Company which has closed up for the last twenty years, whereby the workers had been living in the quarters without land titles. This was solved by the present State Government. ‘This place is an UMNO territory, mind you.’ The distribution of wealth is for everybody, from any political party, she said.
Another point she mentioned that all state agencies practices transparency and accountability. Even the NGOs are accountable to the State.
Confidently she mentioned that the candidate will the best that PKR can offer, without mentioning who, even as I tried to trick her into telling me who it was. She also stated that there are data proving that people of Hulu Selangor are going to support PKR.
I really admire the confidence that she has and it was infectious among party workers in Pahang even. I had to cut the interview short, though I really would love a longer one, to be in Kuantan in two hours. Looking at how relaxed she was, without a trace of stress milling about her, maybe she will be right. That belongs to the future to know.
Artikel ditulis oleh Akmal Ariffin, AJK PKR Cabang Kuala Krau
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