Big shoes to fill for PN candidate in Muhyiddin’s Gambir seat

For 70 years, Chung Ting Hai has lived in the state constituency of Gambir in Tangkak, Johor.

Having worked at a wide variety of jobs throughout his life, he now spends his days selling vegetables and meeting up with friends at the local coffee shop for a quick chat.

To him, Muhyiddin Yassin is a familiar name.

Apart from turning out to vote at a number of elections, Chung would also attend the programmes held by the former prime minister and Gambir assemblyman.

He was taken aback to learn that Muhyiddin would not be defending his seat at the Johor state election on March 12.

For him and many other senior voters, the Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman is a household name.

“I’ve known him for a long time,” Chung said when met by MalaysiaNow. “He always visits my area. We voted for him in 2018 when he was still with Pakatan Harapan (PH).”

But Muhyiddin will not be running in the election this time around. Replacing him as PN’s candidate in the constituency is Bersatu’s Mohd Solihan Badri, the former Tenang assemblyman.

Solihan is well aware that he will be contesting the seat for the first time. But having familiarised himself with the area as Bersatu’s division chief in Ledang, he believes this will not stand in his way.

“When PH contested here in 2018, I was one of the speakers,” he told MalaysiaNow.

“I didn’t serve in Gambir directly, but I have visited many places here.”

A week into his campaign period, he acknowledges that his biggest challenge will be continuing Muhyiddin’s legacy in the constituency.

Muhyiddin, who won the state seat at the 14th general election, was also menteri besar of Johor from 1986 to 1995.

He won the Gambir seat on a PKR ticket with a majority of 3,088, defeating M Asojan of Barisan Nasional (BN) and Mahfodz Mohamed of PAS.

The state election this time will see Solihan contesting against PKR candidate Naim Jusri, BN’s Sahrizan Jani and Pejuang candidate Suraya Sulaiman.

He expects his biggest challenge to come from BN.

“It won’t be an easy competition. All of the candidates will have to work hard,” he added.

“But the big hurdle for BN is that its candidate is not so sociable even though the coalition’s machinery is strong.”

For himself, Solihan believes that voters should take into account his experience as an exco for works, transportation and infrastructure.

He is also drawing on his experience in Tenang, where he had worked to help Felda settlers in terms of infrastructure, land grants and funds.

His main focus for Gambir includes infrastructure and development issues.

“During my time as an exco, the roads here weren’t very good but this has been resolved,” he said.

“However, the drainage system still needs to be boosted to prevent flash floods. My goal is also to develop an industrial zone and a mini stadium here.”

Other projects that Muhyiddin himself was unable to complete due to the movement control order imposed in March last year include a health centre and vocational training centre.

Solihan said he would make it his duty to realise these projects if he is chosen as Gambir assemblyman.

Some 22,000 voters in the constituency will head to the polls on March 12, and it is his hope that they will choose a party that prioritises integrity and development as well as good administration.

Chung, who will be going to vote as well, is confident that Solihan will be able to continue Muhyiddin’s work in the area.

“I don’t really know the others, and I’m not willing to take the risk,” he said. “They might be good at promising but not at keeping their word when they win.”