KUALA KUBU BAHARU – Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) Pang Sock Tao was given a birthday surprise soon after her confirmation as a candidate for the by-election here.
After giving a short speech to supporters while standing on the back of a truck, it was announced to the crowd that Pang had celebrated her 31st birthday yesterday, at which point people began singing Happy Birthday to her.
Then came another announcement that a surprise was in store for Pang, when someone handed her a pineapple, setting off shouts of “Ong lai!” and ‘Huat-ah!” from the crowd.
These are Hokkien terms for good fortune and prosperity, with the pineapple being a symbol of good luck.
Pang earlier thanked the crowd of red-shirted PH supporters for accompanying her to the nomination centre where she was successfully approved as one of four candidates in the by-election to be held on May 11.
This morning, around 500 supporters had accompanied her march to the nomination centre.
Pang is press secretary to Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming, who before nomination day, had controversially announced RM5.21 million for various projects under his ministry for Kuala Kubu Baharu and Hulu Selangor.
He was quick to deny that the allocation was being announced because the seat was having a by-election, instead saying that it was because Kuala Kubu Baharu had good luck or good “feng shui”.
Faced with criticism from many quarters, Nga said he was just doing his job as minister.
In the May 11 by-election, Pang will face Perikatan Nasional’s Khairul Azhari Saut, 54, as her main rival. He is the Hulu Selangor Bersatu acting division chief.
Two other candidates in the fray are Parti Rakyat Malaysia deputy information bureau chief Hafizah Zainuddin and independent candidate Nyau Ke Xin, a manager of a logistics company in Shah Alam. – April 27, 2024