GE13: The golden votes

A few ladies were peering through the glass display. A woman tried on a gold bracelets, her friends nodded in approval.

"I'm very camera shy. Don't film me." said the middle-aged man behind the counter.

"Don't worry uncle, you'll be fine," I said trying to converse in my limited Mandarin in an attempt to persuade Mr. Liang to be interviewed on camera.

"I just want to know what people in Sandakan especially the Chinese wants," I said pushing my luck.

After several attempts, we just settled for filming him doing his job managing the goldsmith for cutaways.

Kedai Emas Kaw San III stood out in the middle of Bandar Lila in Sandakan town. One of the few goldsmiths around.

"We have been running this business for 3 generations," said Liang Bing Koon who finally agreed to be interviewed, but not on camera.

Can't speak good English or BM he said.

"So far no problems doing business here. Business has been good." he said adjusting his glasses firmly on top of his nose bridge.

"So uncle will you go out to vote later?" I asked.

He just shook his head.

"Not interested." he answered nonchalantly.

"Say if you had to vote. Who would it be?" I asked trying to find answers to myth that most Chinese especially in urban seats will vote for opposition parties.

"I will vote for BN because of stability," he answered after a few seconds of reasoning.

"To do business we need peace and stability. Without stability our business will be affected," he added.

"I thought mostly Chinese here would choose DAP or SAPP, no?" I asked.

"Perhaps that is their personal choice?" he peered from above his glasses. It looked like it's about to fall off his nose.

"How about a picture, can? I'm writing for the website since you don't want to be interviewed on camera." he agreed but only if taken with his 2 female workers.

He is really camera shy.

The Chinese voters consist of 53% of total voters in Sandakan. If all of them go out to vote, it would make a big difference.

Like the gold in this goldsmith, their votes are valuable.

The president of Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Datuk VK Liew will defend his parliamentary seat in Sandakan. He won with a very slim majority of only 176 votes in 2008.

Under Sandakan's parliament constituency there are 2 state seats namely Tanjong Papat and Elopura, won by Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) who was under Barisan Nasional (BN) until they withdrew from BN after the last general elections.

"How much is the gold sold here?" I asked Uncle Liang.

He pointed to the display price of gold per gram, "RM170"

"Wow the price in KL it has dropped down to RM135/gram!" I said.

"Price of gold here is still high," he replied.