MERTAJAM: For the Chinese community in Permatang Pauh, the arrival of ‘Peh Moh’, a Hokkien word for ‘the white-haired’, is much awaited after hearing so much about the Seberang Jaya assemblyman Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah.

Trader Kim Heng Theik, 53, said: “I got to know Arif Shah through friends in Seberang Jaya, who said he was a good man. If there are problems, they would go look for the YB”.

A government employee, Tan Liang Sim, 29, hoped that Arif Shah’s nomination as the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate in the Aug 26 Permatang Pauh by-election would provide the constituents an opportunity for a better life.

“Look at Seberang Jaya under Arif Shah. It is developing. We also want progress,” he told Bernama yesterday.

Arif Shah, 51, who won the Seberang Jaya state seat since the 2004 general election, is described as a people-friendly assemblyman and his ability to converse in Mandarin and Hokkien has made him closer to the Chinese community.

He is said to be well received by the people because he is humble, approachable and can mingle easily with the local folk.

He makes a point to go for breakfast at Medan Selera in Seberang Jaya, which is not far from his house, to be with his constituents and listen to their problems.

Kim, who has been operating his business in Permatang Pauh for the past 20 years, sighed at the condition in the constituency, which he said, had not changed much despite having had Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as its member of parliament when he was deputy prime minister and also finance minister.

Anwar, who is re-contesting the seat this time as a Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) candidate, was the Permatang Pauh MP between 1982 and 1999.

Since 1999, Anwar’s wife, PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail had won the Permatang Pauh seat and again in the last general election, but resigned as its MP on July 31 to make way for her husband to re-contest the seat.

Kim said: “What I can see are just traffic lights here. Permatang Pauh town is still like before. If possible, we also want change like in other towns.”

Former city dweller, Toh Eng Thim, 47, who returned to Permatang Pauh five years ago to take over his father’s retail business, said economy was an important factor to secure Chinese votes.

“Since the oil price increase, business has been bad. The government should reduce the oil price if it wants our votes. If Anwar can promise as well as give a formula to reduce the oil price, why can’t the BN do the same.” — Bernama