CALONKINI | Chan Quin Er is an approachable, confident and multi-talented woman with a promising career as a deputy public prosecutor.

She has both a legal background and also a masters in international political economy and had served with the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) for four years.

So it may come as a surprise to many when she decided to leave the comfort of a secure career on an apparent "suicide mission".

Chan, who represents MCA, is contesting the parliamentary seat of Seputeh in Kuala Lumpur, which the DAP has enjoyed an uninterrupted hold on since 1984.

It is also noteworthy that the DAP incumbent Teresa Kok had won Seputeh by a staggering 51,552-vote majority in the last general election, making it the largest majority won - and by extension - the toughest seat in the entire country to take back.

Chan acknowledged that she faces an uphill task but this self-described optimist sees things differently.

"I don't see it as a suicide mission. I see it as a very noble, sacred duty.

"Nothing is impossible," she said during an interview with Malaysiakini while flashing a big smile.

Cheery, friendly and energetic, Chan spent most of her life living in the Seputeh area, growing up in a wooden house in Old Klang Road which was demolished when she was younger to make way for the New Pantai Expressway.

Chan has also dabbled in many things including becoming a professional voice talent doing everything from the voice of an elf to the voice of a kitten.

But one of her passions was law and after being called to the Malaysian Bar, she went on to work with the AGC as a deputy public prosecutor and a federal counsel.

For Chan, quitting her public service job for politics wasn't all that big a difference.

Coming from an underprivileged background, she said her mother had always taught her to be kind, compassionate and to give back to society.

This was why she decided to join the AGC instead of going into private practice after her chambering.

So contesting as a representative of the people, she said, is merely a switch in platforms for her desire to serve the public.

One cause that is close to Chan's heart is the issue of people falling victims to snatch thefts which is prevalent in urban areas.

She hopes to push for tougher punishment if she is elected as an MP in the hope that it will act as a deterrent and give urbanites a better peace of mind.

She also plans to support laws to take care of the elderly in the society.

"We have laws to take care of our children, our environment and even animals but we do not have laws to take care of our elderly parents.

"So this is something that I want to see done in the country," she said.

This is Chan's story, in her own words:

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE. I personally really enjoy growing and learning, and I think only when you are in a very uncomfortable position, you will learn.

So I am in for that experience and I have a lot of respect for the long-serving MP as well.

The job is very demanding, but I think I have the energy, the vision, the ambition and the drive to take on this challenge and to be on this journey.

I AM AN OPTIMIST. We should be prepared for every outcome. I will just really go all out and I will just leave the result for God to decide.

AFTER I FINISHED MY CHAMBERING AND WAS CALLED TO THE BAR, it was a very pivotal moment for me, because my mum has always told me, she wanted me to be someone who is sincere, kind and compassionate, someone who gives back to society. The rich are already rich, I do not need to help the rich get richer.

IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY for me to follow my passion, so instead of going into a private law firm to practice, I chose (to work at the) AGC.

I RESIGNED AND TOOK UP THIS CHALLENGE NOW because to me, it is just switching platforms to perform public service.

I don't see it as a huge change, it is just performing a different role, still as a public servant but this time from a legislature angle.

I HAVE ALREADY HANDED IN MY RESIGNATION LETTER and they (AGC) have accepted it, it is quite unlikely (that I would go back to the AGC).

To me, I have already burned the bridge by resigning. We will see where this path and platform takes me to.

IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT PLATFORM TO ME to do what I love to do. Since I was young, I have done charity work but my formal participation in charitable NGOs started when I was 18 years old.

Even when we had very little when I was younger, my parents, they really influenced me.

IT IS NOT ABOUT HOW MUCH YOU HAVE or how much you can give, it is about how little you do and that small bit of kindness can create a ripple effect and make a bigger impact, a positive impact on the society.

I HAVE BEEN A MEMBER OF THE PARTY (MCA) since I was 20 years old and until today, I believe the party is a very stable platform for people to actually participate in this conversation.

It does not matter which side of the divide we are but our active participation counts. People can say a lot of things but what are we doing about it?

WHILE MCA HAS NEVER WON HERE, MCA has never stopped working here as well.

That's one of my key inspiration, that's why I wanted to do this because of their dedication and they just never quit, the door has not been shut.

So to me, that is something very precious and beautiful and I want to continue that.

MY WHOLE LIFE HAS BEEN IN AND AROUND SEPUTEH. It is my home so it is natural (for me to contest here).

MY FAMILY HAS BEEN WONDERFULLY SUPPORTIVE. Every profession requires commitment but for me, because this is something that I love and I enjoy doing, it gives me happiness and I feel very content when I do it, so my family are really understanding.

It's about balancing along the way, finding the middle ground for myself, balancing between family time and work time.

NO MATTER WHAT ROLE I PLAY IN MY LIFE, I am a daughter, a wife, a sister, but I am also a servant, so that is what I want to be.

I want to be all that. You can be all that, you can multi-task. Nobody says you can do one thing and not the other.

CALONKINI introduces new faces from all sides of the political divide in the run-up to 14th general election.

These interviews are not an endorsement by Malaysiakini.

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