Noh Omar's recent racial remarks are proving to be heaven sent for the PKR- the opposition coalition has turned them into fodder for their campaign.

The Selangor Umno deputy chief's racially-charged keynote address in the state BN convention on Wednesday was on everyone's lips as the Chinese reps from PKR drummed up support for the upcoming Hulu Selangor by-election.

pkr chinese campaign launching 100410 02 Hulu Selangor Local Councillor Chua Yee Ling said that Noh's remarks have left a bitter taste in local voters' mouths.

"They don't understand why Umno leaders are still openly making racial remarks even after the Prime Minister had initiated the 1Malaysia concept.

"If Umno refuse to take action against Noh, MCA should refuse to campaign for BN to show the voters that they are protesting," he said.

PKR treasurer-general William Leong also questioned the sincerity of Noh's apologies which came the day after the remarks were made.

No substance in apology

"If Umno and Perkasa still believe in Ketuanan Melayu, (the apology) is only PR talk."

noh omar statement in paper parliament pc 301105 ignorant Noh, ( right ) in his speech, had alluded that non-Malays should be grateful that they were granted Malaysian citizenship, provoking t a walkout by Kapar MCA members.

Among others, he also had quoted speeches of fourth MCA president Tan Siew Sin and fifth MIC president VT Sambanthan from the 1960s, who praised Umno and the Malays for granting citizenship to non-Malays.

Meanwhile Party strategy director Tian Chua saidthat the state government is working to solve local welfare and land problems which have been piling up under Barisan Nasional's 50-year-rule.

Both Leong and Tien Chua were speaking at press conference after launching a campaign team at the busy main street of Pekan Rasa, along with other Chinese PKR leaders Hee Loy Sian, Gan Pei Nei and Yee Ling.

Despite the afternoon drizzle, Gan and Chua led a group to the nearby market and coffee shop, calling on local voters.

The Malay-Indian pendulum

They also distributed the Selangorkini, a state government-owned newspaper, as well as the party's official Chinese organ Gong Zheng Bao.

azlan The Chinese-majority Pekan Rasa is one of the 12 new villages in the Hulu Selangor parliamentary constituency with the population's racial breakdown being 913 Chinese, 463 Indian and 242 Malay.

It is understood that most of them backed the Pakatan in the 2008 general election.

Apart from PKR's operational room in Rasa which will oversee the Kuala Kubu Baru state constituency, the party's Chinese campaign team will also set up stations in Kalumpang and Ulu Yam Baru.

At last count, Hulu Selangor registered voters comprised 32,020 Malays (52.7%), 16,964 Chinese (26.3%), 12,453 Indians (19.3%) and 3,063 others (1.7%).

While it is already expected that Chinese support will swing to the Pakatan in favour of a strong Opposition voice in Parliament, PKR is still not taking things for granted by going into the Chinese heartlands.

Meanwhile, they will still have to fight tooth and nail for the Malay and Indian vote which could swing to either side.