However, the area appears anything but that as the Jelutong MP makes his way to the Leng Eng Tong Temple for a Chinese New Year dinner, recognised by everyone he meets.
Many stood to greet him, and Ooi’s arrival was met with thunderous applause.
The temple is a significant meeting point for politicians vying for a seat, especially in Chinese-majority Jelutong.
Ooi told FMT his initial trepidation quickly vanished as he had not expected such a friendly crowd. He had been there to fill in for Sungai Pinang assemblyman Ng Siew Khim, who was unable to attend the dinner.
“Being in Jelutong is about immersing yourself with the people who vote for you. I truly understand my electorate as I spend a lot of time with them,” he said.
It is perhaps no surprise that Ooi is popular in Jelutong, even in the pockets of Barisan Nasional (BN) strongholds in his constituency.
He has held the seat for two straight terms, winning with a 25,750-majority in the last polls and 16,246-majority in the 2008 polls.
Despite previous indications that he might not run in the 14th general election (GE14), Ooi said he had been entrusted to carry the torch for DAP in the coming polls by none other than Karpal Singh’s family, fondly known as the “Tiger’s family”.
Karpal, who was popularly known as the “Tiger of Jelutong”, had been the area’s MP from 1978 to 1999.
“The Karpal Singh family wants me to contest and keep Jelutong for DAP again,” Ooi said.
At 62, Ooi still appears full of vigour. An IT consultant by profession, he was known in the 1990s as the founder of popular community forum, USJ.com.my. His blog, “Screenshots”, was Asia’s winner for the 2005 Freedom Blog Awards by Reporters Without Borders.
In the coming term, he aims to resolve community-related issues such as the upgrading of the Jelutong market, the landfill on the east coast, affordable homes in Kg Pokok Assam, and hurrying federal funds for the Sungai Pinang flood mitigation project.
He said the new Jelutong market would be built with Green Building Index-rated construction, and expressed hope that a recreational park could be built at the landfill as rehabilitation plans were still in the pipeline.
Meanwhile, about 450 units of low-medium cost apartments would be built in Pokok Assam, he said.
Although such projects were very localised and out of his job scope as a policymaker in Parliament, he said they were absolutely necessary.
“If these projects take off, it would transform Jelutong for the better. My focus is on improving the social, recreational and general living for the people here.”
The situation in GE14
The Jelutong constituency had a total of 78,131 voters as of the fourth quarter of last year.
The bulk of the voters (27,806) come from the Batu Lanchang state seat, followed by Sungai Pinang (27,341) and Dato Keramat (22,985).
According to figures from the second quarter of last year, the Chinese make up the majority of voters in Sungai Pinang at 52.3%, followed by the Malays at 33.4% and Indians at 13.9%.
The Dato Keramat state seat is touted as the “most ageing” state seat in Penang, with most voters aged 50 and above.
In the second quarter last year, the racial composition of Dato Keramat was predominantly Chinese (56.7%), with Malays making up 29.2% and Indians comprising 13.6%.
The Batu Lanchang state seat continues to be a bastion of Chinese voters, who comprise a staggering 85.9%. Malays make up 7.2% while Indians comprise 6.5%.
All the state seats were won by DAP in the last polls.
In GE14, Jelutong will likely be contested by Gerakan national legal bureau chairman Baljit Singh.
None of the Gerakan candidates fielded in the last two elections were able to unseat Ooi.
When asked about his potential opponent, Ooi said: “Gerakan should know what they are in for this round – their last farewell. This includes MCA and PAS as well.”
FMT has contacted Baljit for comment and is awaiting his reply.