Rep has big plans for Temiang

Ng is serving his second term in Temiang and is DAP's organising secretary in Negeri Sembilan.

INTERVIEW

SEREMBAN: The Temiang state assemblyman, Ng Chin Tsai, was in secondary school when he first realised he had an interest in politics. He went on to university and became active in the student movement.

Now 35, Ng is serving his second term in Temiang and is DAP’s organising secretary in Negeri Sembilan.

He spoke to FMT recently about his political awakening as a schoolboy and his plans for Temiang.

FMT: What made you decide to pursue politics as a career?
Ng: I was born and raised in Rahang New Village, where public amenities were sorely inadequate. Our streets were not well lighted at night and our piped water supply often broke down. And flash floods were frequent.

When I was in secondary school, I came to the realisation that something must be wrong with a government that would boast about its achievements, including its development efforts, and yet would do nothing to ensure that citizens don’t have to live in the deplorable conditions that I was living in.

Between 1999 and 2002, when I was studying at UPM, I was active in various student associations. I realized that our government was the kind that would draw up and implement policies without bothering to consult with citizens or listening to their opinions.

I also saw how the government would apply pressure on students who did not agree with its policies.

So, I suppose it was natural for me to get active in politics almost as soon as I left the university. In the 2004 general election, I helped campaign for Loke Siew Fook, who was the DAP candidate for the Lobak state seat.

What do you think you achieved during your first term as state assemblyman for Temiang?
I was involved mostly in what you might call “on the ground” activities, especially for charities. I helped orphans and single mothers.

I also concentrated on local issues like flooding and the need to improve the drainage system, and I helped people grappling with land title issues. In issues like these, perhaps one of the greatest difficulties faced by state assemblymen or members of Parliament is lack of cooperation from local authorities.

Are you happy with your performance in the 13th general election?
In 2008, I won with a 1,338-vote majority. This time around, my majority increased to 1,677. Of course, I’m happy.

Much of the increased support for me came from voters in the 40 to 55 age group. Support from Malay voters also increased, especially in Malay-majority areas like Kampung Bukit Temiang, Taman Temiang Jaya and Taman Indah.

Tell us something about your agenda for Temiang for the next five years.
I will concentrate on charitable activities, especially in ensuring that aid goes to those who are needy.

In the coming state assembly sitting, scheduled for September, I will again raise questions about the Middle Ring Road project that was planned 10 years ago but still hasn’t shown any sign of getting off the ground. I have not seen any sign of construction.

I have raised this issue many times before, but the project has still not started. The last answer given was that it was still in the planning stage.

I also will monitor progress on the proposal to construct a new exit from the Lekas Expressway at Taman Desa Temiang.

Another issue that needs follow-up action is the flooding problem at Jalan Seng Meng Lee.

In Temiang, one of the critical issues is the problem of acquiring land titles. There are many elderly people who have held their temporary occupation licences for 50 to 60 years, but when it came to granting titles for the land, the state government has opted to give them to other people.

This is one of the issues that I need to address, but it won’t be easy as land matters are in the hands of the state government.

I also see Temiang as a strategic tourism spot. Bukit Jong is very popular among foreign tourists. Among its popular attractions are a mosque, a Hindu temple and a Chinese temple that are located adjacent to each other. And these houses of worship are surrounded by natural forest.