Sneakers show Teng is up and running

GEORGE TOWN: Arriving at the Gottlieb Road market here at 8.15am in a green Volvo, the Pulau Tikus state seat incumbent Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan begins his campaign a day after nominations on Sunday.

His white shirt and black trousers suggest he is going to the office for another day's work; the shoes, though, tell a different story.

Teng, a father of four, is in sneakers -- showing he is ready to hit the track running for 12 days of campaigning.

His family joins him. His wife, Chang Lee Lee, and youngest son, Teng Sheng Jie, 14, help Teng's service team set up a voter verification centre at the entrance to the market.

Teng and his wife start distributing flyers to the mainly middle-aged or elderly women going to the market.

With a smile and a "Good morning. Please support, ya," Teng and Chang greet the constituents who know him and react warmly.

Teng is seen as one of the two men likely to succeed outgoing chief minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon. The other is another Gerakan candidate, Datuk Lee Kah Choon.

One voter tells Teng: "Looking at the marks on your face, I think you will be the next chief minister."

Teng is caught off-guard but recovers quickly enough to borrow a bicycle from an elderly woman and take it for a short spin. A short while later, the 62-year-old Teng tries frying crackers at a stall a few steps away.

These are the things that politicians do during the "silly season" of campaigning.

It is inevitable that he would run into his challenger: the market is a favourite hunting ground for voters. 

DAP's Koay Teng Hai is doing the rounds along with the Bukit Bendera DAP candidate, Liew Chin Tong. They exchange pleasantries and shake hands with Teng before going their separate ways.

Halfway through, Teng's colleague and the 2004 Bukit Bendera winner, Datuk Seri Chia Kwang Chye, joins him.

After Chia and his wife leave, Teng, his wife and the rest of the service team stop at the Sin Hup Aun coffee shop near the market for breakfast.

They then adjourn to another shop nearby selling nyonya food. A quick meal later, Teng is up and running to his third destination -- Kampung Herriott.

He is joined by some 20-odd Umno members, as they go door-to-door trying to garner as much support as possible.

Some voice their support for Teng, with encouragements such as: "Don't worry, we're behind you. We are not just talking for the sake of talking. We are really behind you".

Their support seems to indicate the Pulau Tikus seat is Teng's but he is not taking things for granted -- the campaigning continues for the next nine days.

--NST