KUALA LUMPUR: People in Bentong met MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong asking him to bring back his predecessor, Tan Sri Liow Tiong Lai, as the party's candidate for the parliamentary seat.
He said although Liow failed to defend the seat in the last general election, the former health minister still had Bentong and its people in his heart.
Wee said Liow's record in Bentong for 30 years was good, and voters there had approached the party and him, even during his visit to the Karak new village after the 2021 fire which razed 11 shops and 75 houses, asking for Liow's return.
"He (Liow) was the one who helped the victims of the Karak fire by seeking funds and hiring architects and engineers for repairs," Wee said, claiming that none of the other previous politicians had done the same.
The MCA president also said Liow had the credibility to wrest Bentong back.
In the 14th General Election, Liow was defeated by DAP candidate Wong Tack, an environmental activist, with a majority of 2,032 votes.