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Sdr Lau Chiek Tuan, DJN, PJK Deputy Chairman, Penang MCA State Liasion Committee |
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Special Interview with YB Sdr Lau Chiek Tuan
Secretary, MCA Penang State Liaison Committee
ADUN for Berapit &
Penang State Executive Councillor for Domestic Trade & Consumer Affairs
Q: What are your feelings about the recent General Elections?
Firstly I am most happy to dedicate the results of this election to all my supporters in Berapit (winning majority of 4555 votes). I am very touched by this huge mandate from the people in my kawasan. They were so happy when I met them for the past week, reminding me that I am not alone in this important battle to fight for a better tomorrow for all of us.
Besides my supporters, I would like to thank all the hardworking members in my service team, especially my beloved wife who has faithfully stood by me all throughout this time and who continues to man my existing Service Centre at Dewan Badminton Berapit together with my two assistants.
Q: What are the early issues that you will be attending to?
Service is the main hallmark of our MCA party.
After the recent delineation exercise, the new areas added to the Berapit Constituency are Taman Bukit Indah, Taman Bandaraya, Taman Tenang, Taman Jernih, Taman Alma, Taman Permata, Permata Indah, Tampoi, Taman Desa Palma and Taman Bee. As a result of the bigger area involved, my first priority will be to set up another Service Centre to attend to those who are in need. Initially, I plan to use my evenings and night hours to get started. Education is the other main issue that I intend to attend to. In this respect, I will be setting up another community library, the 3rd one so far in my constituency.
Q: How will your new EXCO position affect your work in the constituency?
Firstly, I am grateful to our President and the Penang MCA State Liaison Committee for the trust and the responsibility of this new position in the State Government. I will now have a major role to be actively involved in planning and implementing State policies that will benefit not only my kawasan but also the whole of Penang in general. As this is a learning period for me, I would like to ask my constituents to be patient for this time when I am not physically present with them. Of course, I can still be contacted anytime through my service centre.
Q: What are the early directions for your new Portfolio?
I intend to spend some time conferring with all the heads of the relevant Government agencies involved with domestic trade and to pay a courtesy call on YB Minister Datuk Shafie Apdal in KL to chart my future directions. I have an early impression that my responsibilities will be to bring or create more business opportunities for Penang State as well as to promote the local products found here. I will also concentrate on the SEA countries like Vietnam – especially promoting barter trade. In this respect, I would like to revive the activities of the Penang Trade Council.
Regarding Consumer Affairs, I would like to implement the continuous education of consumers by setting up active district-level consumer committees that will carry out functions laid down by the Penang Consumer Council. I would like to listen to more suggestions as well as criticisms especially from consumer bodies like CAP, so that we can be more proactive in improving the lot of consumers. I will also encourage the setting up of similar consumer clubs in schools so that we can start this awareness of Consumerism from an early age.
So as you can see, I do have a lot to do for the party and the State to plan for the next 5 years. We will have to bring in new blood to give new ideas, especially more professionals. And since we lost in the areas like Bagan, Sg Puyu, Bukit Gelugor and Bukit Mertajam, the MCA party will have to conduct a post-mortem and to redouble its efforts to serve the people. We have to change the people’s perception that they can still have an effective representation through the MCA at both State and Federal levels.
