The iconic but reluctant politician... finally quits?

These days, Sunday is often a working day for my wife because of oil palm harvesting. With the high price for fresh fruit bunch, her job is to ensure there is no theft or pilferage after the fruits are cut from the trees and that they reach the collection centre. It is quite strange to see school children on a Sunday in Kedah side of Selama.

After harvesting, at about 5 pm we went to the harvester’s house where SP had her shower and change of clothes to attend a dinner cum karaoke competition, which her company had made a contribution. I took the opportunity to check mail at the house, as I had intended to do it at an internet café. After a quick run through, I visited Malaysiakini and got a shock when I read the headline, ‘Fong quits Batu Gajah’ and I told my wife about it.

It was during dinner that I got call from Chong who asked about Po Kuan’s decision to quit Batu Gajah. Told him I will chat over breakfast tomorrow. In the meantime, I sms-ed Thomas and he replied that she had already mentioned in her announcement.

By the time I reached home, it was about 12 midnight and I checked Po Kuan’s blogsite to find out more. From the comments, I had missed the TV3 news and I realised she seemed to have decided not to contest at all! How disappointing to opposition supporters but must have been music to BN.

While watching the singers, my mind was actually thinking about Po Kuan’s decision and wondering about the reasons. She wanted to quit just before the 2004 GE too. There is always the public statement and like what Chong and others wanted to know, the real reasons!

While on the way to Selama, I actually told my wife that Po Kuan should consider standing for a state seat as well, with the consent and moral support from her husband. The reason being she has already established herself in BG and she could easily win and cope with a state constituency as well, with a supportive husband at her side. Well, that was my viewpoint from a distance, not privy to what has been happening in her private life and in Perak DAP.

To me, there is this irony of me supporting DAP in Batu Gajah when my registration was hijacked to Gopeng for GE 1999 and 2004, yet now that I have put it right to be able to vote in BG, she has decided not to contest!

Looks like we have to get used to not having ‘Batu Gajah’ personified in YB Fong Po Kuan in Parliament. I am sure the Speaker and his Deputy and the rest of the ‘to be elected’, who had been MPs before, will miss her too.