DAP’s M Kulasegaran grabbed the Ipoh Barat parliamentary seat by just 598 votes in 2004 - and results are similarly expected to go down to the wire on Saturday.

Setiawan-born Kulasegaran, 50, is facing MCA heavyweight Yik Phooi Hong, who was born in Buntong, located within the constituency.

Both had squared off previously in the Buntong state seat in 1999, when Yik beat Kulasegaran by 4,027 votes.

Now, they are canvassing for votes across three diverse state seats - the industrial area of Buntong, middle-lower suburb Bercham and the commercial ‘district’ of Kepayang.

ipoh barat focus 030308 yik phooi hong (white left) Yik, 58, is a son of a taxi driver who made it big in the tin-mining and estate industry. He later ventured into property development and is very well connected politically and commercially.

Since 1995, he has served as the Buntong state assemblyperson and since 1999, as deputy speaker of the state assembly. He is confident about his chances against the incumbent, but admits that he is not a skilled orator.

"(Kulasegaran) challenged me to a debate. How can I beat him? He is a lawyer. He is good at making noise in Parliament, but how has that benefited anyone?” Yik said during his ceramah at the Kampung Bercham flats yesterday.

"Do any of you remember a single issue he has brought up in Parliament? Anyone? No? Isn't that a waste of four years? At least I have delivered the goods to the people."

Yik also told the small crowd that he has good relations with various ministers and the state government and thus is able to remove obstacles and to bring development into the area.

ipoh barat parliamentary seat “But Kulasegaran is always scolding (Works Minister) Samy Vellu. How will he be able to get infrastructure (projects) from Samy?" asked Yik.

Yik is well known in the Indian community. In 1987, he stopped the Federal Reserve Unit from charging into an Indian squatter area in Buntong.

It earned him the nickname Buntong Puli (Buntong Tiger) and is believed to have contributed to his winning streak in the state seat, where nearly 50 percent of the voters are Indian.

Yik also has an advantage in Bercham and Kepayang because both incumbents - Gooi Seng Teik and Tan Chin Meng respectively - are said to be close allies.

Toughest outing yet

Kulasegaran, however, expects voters to appeal to his emphasis on national issues and Yik's alleged shortcomings.

He accuses Yik of failing to keep his election promises since 1999. For instance, garbage collection has been irregular at the Buntong market, and a messy dump is located right in front of Yik's old service centre.

dap ipoh ceramah 240208 kulasegaran 1 "He cannot solve that. What more you expect from him?" Kulasegaran asked Buntong supporters during recent ceramah.

A major election issue both sides are playing up involves SJK (C) Bercham which is overcrowded with a 3,000 students.

He also accuses the MCA of being unable to establish a new school in the area, while Yik says it is unfeasible and that he is trying to raise funds for new classrooms instead.

The DAP camp knows that this is the toughest election yet.

"It’s very challenging. His opponent is quite formidable," said K Jayalachimi, 38, who is Kulasegaran's wife and full-time campaign assistant.

His political secretary A Sivasubramaniam said the lawyer’s hard work in the constituency will pay off, aided by a track record of raising issues in Parliament.

"His doors are always open. He goes on walkabouts at various markets every Sunday and takes down complaints from constituents," said Sivasubramaniam, who will stand in Buntong.

Both candidates however are not without weaknesses. Kulasegaran is said to be less visible in the constituency, while Yik's majority in Buntong has steadily declined over the past three general elections.

It only sets the stage for a compelling showdown.