BUKIT GELUGOR Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM) launched its election manifesto today with the theme ‘Love Penang’, and vowed to bring real change that matters to Penangites.

“No matter what, we have to love Penang, we may challenge one another at this by-election but at the end of the day, we all love Penang,” said the party’s Bukit Gelugor candidate, Huan Cheng Guan, at his operations centre along Jalan Air Itam today.

Huan then launched into a tirade about all the problems Penangites are allegedly facing since Pakatan Rakyat took over the state in 2008.

“Since Pakatan took over, various problems such as worsening traffic congestion, lack of low cost housing, increase in water tariffs thrice in a year, sale of state land, and water pollution, until our quality of life has worsened,” he said.

Huan, who heads the NGO Sensible and Ethical Malaysian United Team (or Semut), is contesting against DAP’s Ramkarpal Singh and two Independents, Abu Backer Sidek Mohammad Zan and Mohamed Nabi Bux Mohd Nabi Abdul Sathar.

His manifesto include fighting and eradicating corruption in BN and Pakatan, war against crime and social problems, audit of state land, appeal for federal funds from various ministries to develop Penang.

“I will not be like Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng who often cites lack of funding as a reason for non-implementation of policies and yet can implement high salary increases for councillors and state assemblypersons in Penang,” Huan said.

Other promises in his manifesto include lobbying for affordable low-cost housing, ensuring strict enforcement of development policies and heavier penalties, and ensuring quality of life and sustainable people-centric development.

“I will work towards resolving traffic congestion issues in the Bukit Gelugor constituency so that we no longer have to waste time in traffic jams,” said the former Gerakan vice-president.

“I will source for funds to upgrade and refurbish flats and markets in the Bukit Gelugor constituency, some of which are in very bad condition,” he added, vowing to work closely with residents’ association and other committees.

The Bukit Gelugor seat fell vacant on April 17 when its MP Karpal Singh died in a car crash along the North-South Expressway in Perak.

Karpal, who was also the DAP national chairperson then, had won the seat thrice since 2004, retaining it with a thumping majority of 41,778 majority votes over his opponent MCA’s Teh Beng Yeam, in the May 5 general election last year.

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