'A vote for me is a vote against crime'

Kuan Chee Heng, a 50-year-old former policeman, yesterday announced that he will be contesting in Puchong as a parliamentary candidate.

“A vote for me is a vote against crime,” claimed the chairman of a Puchong-based anti-crime group called Community Policing (COPS), which boasts to have over 60,000 members.

Aside from his crime fighting-oriented activities, Kuan, who said he is a pro-BN independent, also runs a florist and scrap metal business, and is involved with a number of various other NGOs.

In a phone interview with Astro Awani, Kuan said that he decided to join politics as he wanted to bring the 'voice of NGOs' into parliament to better enable Malaysians to fight crime.

The following are excerpts of the interview:

Awani: You’ve always been doing NGO work. How did you end up deciding to contest as a politician?

Kuan: I see alot of crime is happening and I felt very tired. I took about one year to decide, I thought I could voice the rakyat frustration on crime in Parliament.

Why are you going for a parliamentary seat?

Parliamentarians should go to parliament to prepare some bills, to make law. Most politicians now are not very serious in fighting crime, there is too much politicking.

With the crime situation in Malaysia today, there is a need to voice out in parliament. We need the NGO voice in parliament. The people’s voice. I am that voice.

I am trying to get the support from all the people, I don’t know whether [I’ll] get support or not. We need a real voice, real third force voice to go out to do it.

Why should people in Puchong vote you?

A vote for me is a vote against crime. I will represent you fighting crime.

What is your main agenda going into politics, is it just crime?

My main [agenda] is crime. I also want to harp on corruption and also the police procedures. We must make sure police do not misuse their power, that is why I am trying to do, to iron out a better support system for the police.

There are problems with the system, why do people want to bribe, is there a better way to pay summons? There is also a problem with the procedure in making police reports. It takes a long time to record statements.

You mentioned parliamentarians should introduce laws in Parliament. What law will you try to pass in Parliament?

First, I want to make snatch theft an official offence in the Penal Code. Right now there is no definition of snatch theft! They lump it under robbery. But that is not good enough to stop the snatch thefts. We need a minimum one year mandatory jail sentence and make it non bailable offence. Even cheating there is a mandatory minimum one year with whipping.

The second bill I’ll like to propose is about car plates. You see, all the robbers, I guess 95% is committed crimes using false numbers. Where did they get these number plate? You must have legislation to restrict this item. Let’s say your mother got murdered, and the only clue is a fals number plate, imagine how frustrated you’ll be.

Also, I want to introduce a better complaint system against the police. If a policeman is not performing and you complain to the OCPD(Officer in Charge of Police District), sure he will help them one... if you want to do a better police force, you must be more open to criticism. Why are we scared? IPCMC is a good thing, but politicians must not get their hands involved. Police are worried it is worried that manipulated by certain people with certain interest.

The repeal of the Emergency Ordinance also brings about a lot of problems. I will push for another set of preventive laws to ensure these criminals are locked up. Or else it is tiring for police and judiciary. Because with robbers, you have burden to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the person who has committed the crime. It is quite difficult, as sometimes they use masks and all, so there is no positive identification, sometimes we need positive DNA tests.

Are you pro BN or Pakatan?

I am pro BN. If you talk about Pakatan. I’m sorry but there is still apprehension. See how they manipulated the result of the DAP election? That election shows that they have no transparency, and they blamed it on Microsoft Excel. I think Microsoft should sue them.

I don’t mind supporting them, but they are not transparent enough.

If you remember when we wanted to start KLIA many years ago, there is a strong opposition opposing this project. If you remember the north-south highway and Putrajaya. They talk about land grab, wasting government funds. But I want to point out, if [Tun Dr] Mahathir [Mohamad] didn’t go ahead and build KLIA, our economy will be at standstill.

It is a very sad thing that our opposition party is not an intelligent opposition party. They simply oppose something the government whether it is right or wrong. I don’t mind if you oppose if it is something wrong, you need to ensure government is kept on track.

So why are you an independent candidate?

Very simple. Eventhough I am pro BN. We simply need a stronger NGO voice, someone non-political to voice out the rakyat voice. Many of the politicians have their own political rules, they have to follow their political party. A normal politician is bound by their masters.

As independents, we can voice out more freely, bring the message across, without fearing any limitation imposed by the political parties. It is high time for individuals to go into parliament to voice something, untainted by politics. I also won’t join any ‘third voice’ group, I am alone here, with my NGOs.

Did anyone from Pakatan or BN approach you to join them?

Yes, but I said no. Definitely no. I won’t tell you who approached me to invite me over, but I said no, I cannot be part of any political party.

What are your comments about your opponents?

I’m not interested in the previous BN MP [former Puchong MP from Gerakan] Lau Yan Peng or they say maybe Gerakan Selangor chief senator Kohilan Pillay. I’m more interest in fighting DAP’s Puchong MP Gobind Singh. I want to tell him, you didn’t tender a single bill to ensure the safety of the rakyat. You have not lifted a finger to help the rakyat fighting crime. You are advocating human rights, but when the rakyat are trespassed by criminals, what are you doing? If you go makan, you don’t feel safe, is this not a trespass on our liberty. What human rights is he shouting for?

You say you are BN friendly, but you will also be going up against a BN candidate? Wouldn’t you make way for BN if they say you are sabotaging their chances?

If the BN candidate is good let him win, if I’m good let me in. That’s all. If BN says I’m sabotaging, well let the best man win, if the rakyat chooses Gobind no problem. The voters will decide. This is democracy.

So you won’t make a u-turn or step aside at the last minute?

I have decided. We have to go all out. I’m not young anymore, I don’t need anything, I just want to do something worthwhile. I want to give it a try.