Chia
says political parties must encourage e-communities, even to the extent of
accepting public criticism.
Apart
from being labelled Penang's Environmental MP', Chia Kwang Chye is also an
information technology buff who always has his laptop within reach. A day
after toppling Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang in the polls, Chia spoke with
MARINA EMMANUEL about taking his constituents into the next century.
Chia
Kwang Chye's resolve as MP in the new millennium is to offer his constituents
two "gifts" - hope and vision.
VISION
for this technology buff falls very much in sync with the country's goal of
establishing the Multimedia Super Corridor. Chia's plan for his more than
100,000 Bukit Bendera constituents is to create an online communications resource,
an electronic community. The project, the town planner says, is something
which resembles either an e-mail server or homepage for the constituency.
"It is
something that you find in an Internet service provider with e-mail
addresses for each constituent, like
abc@bukitbendera.com. Everyone can then access it, communicate
and answer questions or even scold me," says the father of two, whose
interest in computers began in 1979. He later set up Micronorth Sdn Bhd
with friends in 1983 to sell computers.
Computers
in a political platform are becoming vital as groups of cyber-communities
are being formed on the Internet with discussion topics ranging from politics
to auctions, says Chia.
"It
is emerging, although not in a big group, but the world trend is heading towards
that. Unless you speak the same 'language' as those involved in chat groups,
you will have no idea of what is happening. If political leaders ignore this
and cut off this group, social problems can emerge."
This
is one reason why Chia says political parties must encourage e-communities,
even to the extent of being open to public criticism.
"I
thought it was a good starting point and a way to encourage the people to
step into the information era."
Although
computer skills are high among Malaysians, "the number of people accessing
the Net during the elections are still limited," he adds.
"The
next millennium will become increasingly important and unless we move with
this trend, we will be behind the rest of the world."
Chia
is aware that this cyber interaction is not something which would apply to
the technophobe - "I am realistic enough not to assume everyone thinks like
me" - and has every intention of maintaining contact with the people and not
becoming a "virtual" MP who becomes a faceless e-mail address to them.
His
idea of giving HOPE to the electorate is for a better quality of life where
community participation is the key.
"I
do not want to give them fish, but teach them to fish," he says, referring
to a can of paint each he gave 500 families at the Rifle Range flats in Air
Itam to spruce up their surroundings.
"They
began painting with the one tin and then went out and bought more paint."
Community
development and people's participation, he adds, can only happen if people
believe in a project for the common good.
"It
is also one way an MP can give people hope for an urban neighbourhood, squatter
settlement of kampung."
This
mode suits an elected representative whose ideology is that Malaysia's political
culture must change in the new millennium, he says.
"The
people must be made to understand that the duty of an MP goes beyond criticising
the Government and raising issues in Parliament."
"While
constructive criticism is still needed, voters must be made to understand
that MPs have to work alongside them on the ground," he adds.
New Straits
Times, 4 December 1999
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