Promises are being showered on Indera Kayangan voters as the by-election campaign entered its sixth day today. The voters will go to the polling booth this Saturday to decide on their choice between two candidates from Keadilan and MCA.

Opposition party Keadilan has gone to town with its pledge to "monitor the state government, protect the cultural heritage of the town and promote gender equality" in its attempt to win Chinese and female votes.

About half of the 8,000-strong electorate are Chinese and there are more female than male voters in the constituency. MCA, a component party of the ruling coalition has held the seat for four terms.

Keadilan's candidate, Khoo Yang Chong, 60, said he had identified several problems in Indera Kayangan which he would attend to once he obtained office.

Khoo is facing MCA's retired Chinese school head Oui Ah Lan. He has pledged to secure more funds for Chinese schools in Kangar.

The former schoolteacher said he will monitor the financial management of the state government and local municipal council led by Perlis Menteri Besar Shahidan Kassim.

"I will ensure the RM500,000 allocated for the expansion of Dataran Kangar is properly used," said Khoo, adding that the local municipal council is currently burdened with a RM4.08 million deficit.

"This kind of wastage will not happen again," he said in a press statement, released in Kangar today.

EC memorandum

Khoo, a schoolteacher for 30 years, said he will also look into problems besieging hawkers and launch programmes to protect the town's heritage and culture.

"The government has built a sewage pond in front of the Hokkien Association's building which has offended the local Chinese community," Khoo said, in an interview with malaysiakini recently.

Polling result on Saturday is expected to be close and both parties are vying for an edge via ceramah (political talks), door-to-door lobbying and distribution of leaflets and VCDs.

Since nomination day on Jan 10, Umno has claimed that 360 Keadilan members have defected to its side while Keadilan has reported several cases of violence by BN supporters against its workers.

Keadilan also sent a memorandum today to the Elections Commission urging it to act "fairly and independently" to ensure that all parties and the candidates adhere to practices of parliamentary democracy provided by the Federal Constitution.

In the three-paged memorandum, Keadilan deputy Youth chief Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the commission should be pro-active and ensure that voters are able to choose their candidate based on "true and accurate" information.

"Please guarantee that action will be taken against those who try to buy votes, threaten or pressure voters from making their choice freely," said Saifuddin.