PD POLLS | If you want to buy a pen in Port Dickson, you may not be able to find one at the local shops, because independent candidate Myocho Kan Chee Yuen had been trying to buy as many pens as possible to give away as presents to voters during his campaign for the upcoming by-election.

Kan, who is using the pen logo for the polls, said he is not “contesting” or battling anyone, but taking part in the election as a way to bring professionalism into politics.

“My symbol is a pen. I think it is a good way (for campaigns) to give out pens to the people as a souvenir. The pen is symbolic of intellect and commitment because when you sign a contract, you are committed to it.”

“If I want to buy pens at a cheaper price, I can actually buy it at under 50 sen from Kuala Lumpur and bring thousands here. But there is no point in that, because I am not empowering or bringing economic benefits to Port Dickson.

“Therefore, I want to buy them here, and then give back to PD,” he said.

However, on the second day of his pen-hunting, he received an email from the Election Commission reminding him that gift-giving is allowed during the campaign period.

Subsequently, Kan in a statement apologised for his act, which he thought was innocent.

“Hence, kindly note that the plan to distribute the pens to the public of PD is now canceled.

“However, I will continue to buy the pens and donate them to other needy schools in Kuala Lumpur,” he said.

He stressed the laws must be followed, and said the reminder came just in time, before any distribution of pens was actually made.

Kan identifies himself as founder, president, and advisor of various companies and NGOs, and said he also works as a consultant for companies, institutions, and individuals.

He said he was the advisor for Batu MP P Prabakaran during GE14 and trained him on public speaking skills.

Viewing problems afresh

Kan viewed Malaysia’s regime change as an important turn of events and a chance to bring professionalism into politics, so the by-election is a good time for him to get involved in politics, he said.

He stressed that the federal government should understand the demographics and local mentality of any area before implementing any policy, instead of simply transplanting ideas from foreign countries.

When asked about his understanding of the Port Dickson demographics, he said he didn’t have the luxury of time to study it specifically.

Instead, he explained that he always goes into a new environment without knowing anything about it, and this is his advantage because outsiders always have a clearer view of problems.

“My job is a consultant. As a consultant, when I go into a company, I know nothing about the company, and that is my advantage.

“If I know too many things about the company, in this case about PD, it would go into my emotions and sentiments. I don’t want to become emotional and sentimental. An outsider looks at a problem more neutrally, clearly, more specifically and pointedly.

“This is my professional role. Therefore, I come in as an outsider; PD will be just another consultant’s project for me, just like another client.”

During the interview, he pointed out that the economic activities in Port Dickson are unproductive and he described it as “almost like a dead town”, except during weekends or holidays.

He also said the Malay vendors who operate there could do things in a different way, and suggested they should improve to attract tourists.

“I can tell you, compared to the grocery stalls in town, the Malay’s concept of grocery stalls is quite pitiful. It is like a shed and it is small. If this is the situation, how do you think the Malay component is going to grow?”

“They are operating not in a way a business should be, you know? They operate like a warung or pondok (shed)…it cannot work.

“If you want to operate a pondok or a shed, then you should beautify the shed to give some ‘Malaysianess’ so that tourists would be attracted to it,” he added.

Kan said there is a need to bring more “knowledgeable people” to Port Dickson and use their profession and skills to come up with more innovative plans for the town, for example, introducing an “edu-tourism” plan to attract college students to spend their semester break there participating in a series of activities.

“Why edu-tourism? Because education is something that parents would never let go of. They are willing to spend on education. Edu-tourism can capture the right market, which is the young people.

“Young people are also willing to spend. We could have them for a few months in Port Dickson. It could be a boarding school, it could be a short-term break or a semester break.”

When asked about his strategy to persuade voters to believe in his vision, he said he may not have the time to go everywhere to meet the voters, so he will use the media to spread his ideas.

He added that voters can also “google his name” to know what he had done over the past ten years.

Polling day for the Port Dickson by-election falls on Oct 13. Campaigning by the seven candidates started on Sep 29. Kan held his first press conference at 9am today.