Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email No ‘ponteng’ for me, says rookie Fernandez
SEREMBAN: For John Fernandez, being elected the new Seremban MP means that he will have to juggle his fresh duties as a member of parliament with his busy legal practice. Towards that end, Fernandez, who specialises in criminal law, is crafting out a good time management plan to help him carry out both responsibilities smoothly. In spite of the challenges, the rookie MP is taking his new responsibilities in stride.
“I don’t see this as a problem. As it is now, a lot of MPs are lawyers who are in the same position as I am. “If they can do it, so can I,” said the 66-year-old.
Fernandez said his busy legal practice notwithstanding, he is aiming for a 100 per cent attendance rate in parliament so as not to disappoint the people who have elected him.
“I am a responsible person. I was chosen by the people to represent them in the Dewan Rakyat. So I have to be there. “No ponteng (playing truant) for me,” said the father-of-two, who is also one of the founding members of DAP.
He said he has come up with a schedule for which Mondays to Thursdays will be devoted to his legal work, while Fridays to Sundays will be set aside to serve his constituents. “It is still early days and I am still trying to adapt. In the long run though, I think I will be able to cope.”
Aside from a systematic work plan, Fernandez can also bank on his past experience as a state assemblyman for Rasah (for one term in 1974) to help ease into his new role as MP when he makes his Dewan Rakyat debut later this month. “I am sure my experience would help, as I intend to be fully involved in the proceedings.”
Besides the stint in 1974, Fernandez also contested and lost the Jimah state seat in 1986 and the Port Dickson state seat in 2004.
In the March 8 polls, Fernandez won the Seremban parliamentary seat by beating Barisan Nasional’s Datuk Yu Chok Tow by a majority of 3,948 votes.
As for the issues he intends to put forward in Dewan Rakyat, Fernandez said he would push for local council elections to be re-introduced. “There is a lot of dissatisfaction with local councillors nationwide. People now see local councillors as simply political appointees. “What local councillors should be doing is helping lessen the burdens of assemblymen and MPs.”
Fernandez also plans to make suggestions that will improve the lives of the people of Seremban. “The people of Seremban are facing a lot of problems at the moment, namely flash floods, traffic congestion and insufficient parking space. “I will work with the relevant authorities to eradicate these problems.”
As for his personal life, in the little free time that he has, Fernandez likes to engage in outdoor activities like walking, jogging and cycling to keep himself in shape. “I truly believe that exercise is preventive medicine.
“I try to do these activities at least three times a week,” Fernandez said. — By Rizalman Hammim
