LETTER | It is now no longer a secret that the incumbent Bangi MP, Ong Kian Ming, will not be seeking re-election. As an Anak Selangor, I would like to convey a few words of appreciation to this gentleman. 

I first heard of Ong’s (above) name on the brink of the 13th general election, when my father, an elderly retired person, said that a new dawn for Serdang (the precursor to the Bangi seat) is coming. Hope for a young, vibrant, and sophisticated representation is now available.

Back then, I have to admit I knew little about Ong and my knowledge and enthusiasm about politics were somewhat shallow. In this day and age of easy internet access, I managed to glance at his CV and was aware of his academic achievements and committed efforts for the betterment of the local community.

Ever since, I graduated from university, I have been working on the Borneo side of our country and spending most of my time there. But as the saying goes, the scent of an aromatic fragrance will be surely able to travel far for many others to enjoy the smell of it.

Whenever I am back to my hometown for leisure or festivities, I frequently received good reports and remarks about Ong’s efforts to develop Bangi, mainly to get rid of the “ghetto” impression of the area in Selangor. 

Ong resides in the area of SS2, Petaling Jaya, considered an intellectual and elite community in Selangor. However, we are glad that he never shied away from Bangi constituents, regardless of their demographic background.

This, to me as a Cheras boy, is a praise-worthy attribute for an MP who came from a totally opposite social background.

The Pakatan Harapan coalition won a handsome victory during GE14. Ong managed to retain his seat comfortably and was appointed to the cabinet post as a deputy international trade and industry minister.

Many Bangi folks back then took it as a “double-edged sword”. Of course, we were proud that for the very first time, a Bangi MP was appointed as deputy minister. But fellow constituents back then were worried if our YB will be able to spend more time within the constituency.

However, Ong still managed to keep in touch with the rakyat of Bangi through several effective working strategies for the constituency. One of them was working with the local assemblyperson. I see it as a smart move as he was able to reach out to us and at the same time fulfil his cabinet responsibility too.

During his tenure as a deputy minister, he expressed several times the great potential of the electronics industry to generate revenue for the country. Perhaps, if the Sheraton Move orchestrated by shameless political frogs did not happen, we may see great developments in this sector.

In this appreciation column, I would like to thank Ong for two important occasions that showed he was never far away from his constituents.

a) On July 19, 2018, the Balakong assemblyperson, Eddie Ng, was involved in a tragic car accident that cost his life. The CEC of DAP back then proposed for a media celebrity to be in the running for the by-election to replace the late Ng.

However, this idea was coldly received by those on the ground.We in Bangi felt that our elected representative should be someone from the locality and a “fighter” like the late Ng himself.

I personally texted Ong to convey the feedback to him. Within an hour, he assured me that the feedback would be delivered to DAP’s CEC. Hence, we now have Wong Siew Ki, a dedicated representative who works tirelessly for the Balakong folks. A good choice as the successor of the late Ng indeed.

b) During the Covid-19 pandemic, many of our livelihoods are badly affected. As the SOPs for quarantine were new to us and were inconsistent, many of us were at a loss.

I am thankful for the effort of Ong’s constituency office to coordinate well with the District Health Office in Hulu Langat in supporting and guiding us throughout the difficult season. Bangi constituents were also touched by the free home sanitisation initiative for those who tested positive for Covid-19.

This really eased the financial burden of the rakyat, as some of us had already lost our source of income.

For all the effort, kindness, and thoughts given to each and every one of us in Bangi, the right thing to do is to honour your kind and dedicated service to us. We would like to thank you for putting us first before yourself in many situations faced by Bangi folks.

May you regain new strength in this political “retirement” and who knows, you may make a comeback in greater stead.

Most important of all, now is your opportunity to spend all the craved quality time with your family members. You certainly need it.

As for Ong’s replacement, Syahredzan Johan, to begin with, I would like to congratulate you on the appointment as Harapan’s candidate for Bangi. Ong had set the standard for the level of service for the rakyat, and we hope for the same level of service from his successor too.

We indeed hope for a representative that will defend the hopeless, champion the oppressed, lead with integrity and be a friend for all walks of life. God willing, with the right intention and also sheer determination, you might be elected into the Dewan Rakyat to represent us.

Malaysia is indeed in a challenging season. However, I believe that the best is yet to come. With good governance and uncorrupted leadership, I am confident that we will emerge as a strong nation again. Therefore, fellow Malaysians we must vote wisely and carefully in the mother of all general elections.

God bless Malaysia, and for a greater and better Bangi.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.