KUALA BESUT Despite losing badly in the last general election generally because of loss of Chinese voter support, MCA deputy president Liow Tiong Lai stressed that there was no "Chinese tsunami" in Terengganu

He said that the scenario in the state Terengganu during the last polls was "different" from other states, as the "tsunami" had not spread across the whole country.

NONE "No, in Terengganu, there was no ‘Chinese tsunami'. In Terengganu, the Chinese support (for BN and MCA) was more than 60 to 70 percent," said Liow ( right in phot o) at a press conference after a walkabout session in Kuala Besut town yesterday.

Citing the defeat of the Terengganu MCA liaison committee chairperson Toh Chin Yaw in Bandar state seat, Liow pointed out that the former state exco member managed to garner over 60 percent of the community's votes.

"But he didn't get the Malay support, he only got about 30 percent of the Malay support, so he lost the state seat.

"Same in other areas (in the state), the Terengganu state is different, please don't think that the ‘Chinese tsunami' was all over the country," he added.

Terengganu PKR chief Azan Ismail defeated Toh with a 2,159-vote majority in the polls two months ago.

Liow, who is also the Bentong MP, confessed that he could only received 30 percent of the Chinese votes in his own constituency, but  refused to reveal he percentage of the Chinese votes MCA managed to gain in nationwide.

'Chinese voters our safe deposit'

The Kuala Besut by-election sees BN candidate former engineer Tengku Zaihan Che Ku Abdul Rahman fending off the challenge from PAS businessman candidate Azlan Yusof.

The Chinese electorate in the constituency is 150, less than 1 percent of the total 17,683 voters.

NONE In Kuala Besut town itself, there are 107, equivalent to 94 percent of the 114 Chinese voters, who are MCA members.

The rest of the Chinese voters reside at Bukit Puteri, a town close to Jertih.

During an interview three days ago, Kuala Besut MCA branch chairperson Teo Ke Pok expressed confidence that all party members will be for Tengku Zaihan on polling day.

He also said that the Kuala Besut Chinese voters are MCA's "safe deposit".

"We all (are) confident, (because) we know each other," he said.

The branch has been organising free dinners every night to serve the local Chinese since nomination day and a lucky draw dinner was held last night with Liow in attendance.

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