MELAKA, Oct 31 — As social media increasingly shapes politics, Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate for the Duyong state seat, Poo Long Suan, believes meeting voters in person matters more than online popularity.

He said face-to-face interactions offered a better opportunity to understand the needs and concerns of the community, regardless of advances in technology.

While acknowledging the importance of social media presence, Poo, who is contesting against incumbent Datuk Mohd Noor Helmy Abdul Halem, said an elected representative’s primary responsibility was to serve the people through direct engagement on the ground.

“An assemblyman’s main responsibility is to serve the people. While having a social media presence is important nowadays, I believe meeting the people in person is far more important,” he told reporters after the nomination process at Dewan Kompleks Japerun Duyong here today.

The 43-year-old said he would draw on his experience, knowledge and achievements as a former Hang Tuah Jaya Municipal Council member to serve the people of Duyong.

Poo, who is also a member of the Melaka DAP Complaints Committee, acknowledged that improving residents’ well-being would take time, particularly as several aspects of local development still required attention.

He identified infrastructure, economic development and traffic management as key areas that could be further improved to enhance residents’ convenience and quality of life.

“Previous representatives have done a good job, but there is still room to improve the infrastructure, economy and traffic situation in Duyong,” he said.

Polling day is set for November 14, with early voting on November 10.

For the latest updates on the 16th Melaka state election, visit https://election.bernama.com/prn/melaka/2026/. — Bernama