GE14 | Sekinchan voters should support BN in the 14th general election because only they are able to solve pressing woes faced by the community, Sungai Besar MP Budiman Mohd Zohdi said today.

Sekinchan, which is made up of a large fishing community, celebrated the return of fisherman Chia Kee Chan following his early release from Indonesian prison.

Speaking at the celebration, Budiman credited the early release to the good relations caretaker prime minister Najib Abdul Razak had with Indonesian President Jokowi Widodo, evidenced by an agreement signed by them last November to secure the fisherman’s release.

“To me, Sungai Besar needs to be represented by BN because if something like this happens, the good relationship BN has with (other countries) helps.

“This good relationship can help ease work like this,” he told members of the press after the event at the Redang Beach today.

Budiman also said that he had been heavily involved in securing Chia’s since his detention in 2016, including meeting with the Indonesian Maritime Affairs and Industries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti, and taking Chia’s family to meet him in prison.

“We practice a type of politics that is about khidmat bakti (devoted service), that is the difference with BN,” he added.

Chia, 52, was released five months ahead of completing his 32-month sentence at the Labuhan Deli prison in Medan, Indonesia.

He had been arrested back in Feb 2016 for encroaching into Indonesian waters. His fishing boat remains with Indonesian authorities.

This afternoon, he was received home by a large welcoming party – which included fishermen and dozens of BN and MCA members dressed in party uniform.

Alighting from a speedboat, he walked along the Redang Beach jetty that had been fully lined with BN and MCA flags, before making a beeline to embrace his 83-year-old mother Heng Guat Moi, who teared up when she saw him.

Chia’s wife Yeo Su Hung and his four children were also present at the event.

Also present at the event was Sungai Besar BN chief Jamal Md Yunos, who announced that RM5,000 aid would be donated to Chia’s family.

‘DAP should focus on service’

Meanwhile, Budiman, Jamal and Sungai Besar MCA chief Kek Seng Hooi all took turns taking aim at incumbent DAP Sekinchan assemblyperson Ng Suee Lim.

Budiman said unlike DAP, BN helped the rakyat and did not practice “politics of hate.”

“This politics of hate will eventually destroy the country, and we ask that Ng... focus on politics that is about devoted service.

“I didn’t see (Ng help in this case), what I saw was political attacks from him. He could have written protest letters but we didn’t see any work by him,” he said.

Jamal warned Ng against “releasing statements that would hurt the feelings of Chia’s family,” while Kek berated the DAP man for making promises he could not fulfil.

“We are not like DAP, which is noisy and offers no help.

“You fishermen must understand who here is being noisy and talking nonsense, and who is doing the work.

“He is lying to you when he says he will give you land grants,” Kek said, referring to Ng's GE14 promise to offer land grants to fishing villagers if he retains his seat.

In the 2016 by-election, Budiman won the seat following a three-cornered fight between Amanah and PAS.

While Budiman hopes to defend his seat, he maintains that he will leave the decision to BN top leadership.

Ng increased his majority in the last election to 2,239 over MCA’s Kek. This GE14, MCA is slated to field first-time contender Lee Yee Yuan in Chinese-majority seat.