An old bicycle, a late-night call and a friendship beyond politics

When Vong Fook Hoi first approached Noor Helmy Abdul Halem for help, the elderly Chinese man had little reason to trust a Barisan Nasional (BN) politician.

It was 2020, and although BN had unexpectedly returned as part of the state government in Melaka, most people, including Vong, were still unhappy with the coalition.

A simple appeal for welfare assistance ultimately brought the two men together, blossoming into a friendship that has become a regular feature of Helmy’s public engagements and social media videos.

Helmy, then a councillor with the Malacca Historic City Council, said Vong was 82 when he came for help, having applied for old-age assistance since he was 60 without success.

“He kept that anger for 20 years. Maybe he applied once and didn’t get it. After that, he was disappointed and never tried again, that is, until he came to me,” he told FMT.

Helmy said all he did was help submit Vong’s application, but the successful outcome marked the beginning of a friendship that continued even after he was elected Duyong assemblyman in the 2021 state election.

Over time, Vong began to trust him and bring other residents’ complaints to his attention.

The Umno man credited Vong, now 88, with helping him understand the concerns of Chinese residents, including what made them unhappy and why they felt disconnected from the government.

“The harmony we see today did not happen overnight. The trust deficit was very big prior to this,” he said.

“There were issues of trust, misunderstandings and major communication breakdowns. I tried to address these issues and resolve them one by one.”

For Vong, that trust was built through Helmy’s willingness to help, even in matters outside the usual demands of an elected representative.

He recounted calling Helmy at about 1.30am one night when he was unwell and needed to see a doctor.

“He was sleeping, but he woke up and came to pick me up,” Vong said.

On another occasion, Helmy bought Vong a new bicycle after noticing the condition of his old one, despite Vong insisting that there was nothing wrong with it.

Such gestures have helped turn Vong into one of Helmy’s most recognisable supporters.

Known as “Uncle Wong”, he frequently appears in the assemblyman’s social media videos. Vong rejects the suggestion that his support has been motivated by money.

“Please do not misunderstand me. I am not saying all this because he gives me money. It is not about that. He genuinely cares for the people,” Vong said.

He said Helmy treats everyone with the same respect, regardless of race.

“He treats Chinese, Malays, Indians and everyone else well. He does not say he only wants to look after his own people,” Vong added.

Helmy said he has never paid Vong anything, and that Vong joined campaigns “out of his trust in me”.

He said his social media videos were also a way to explain local services and correct misconceptions about government assistance.

For example, Helmy said residents had frequently complained about grass-cutting services before videos were made explaining the schedule and standards, including that grass should not exceed 5cm after cutting.

He said the number of complaints has since fallen, with those that remain being specific in nature.

Helmy said he hopes to win another term to complete “unfinished work”, including projects first initiated by his predecessor, Damian Yeo of DAP.

“One of these is a health clinic in Duyong. It was first initiated by Damian. He was the one who proposed the site behind the Japerun. I continued what had been started, and today it is close to being implemented,” he said.

As for Vong, he said he would be sad if Helmy lost the election on Nov 14.

“I really, really hope he wins this year. He cannot lose. I hope he wins. I even pray to Tian Gong (the Jade Emperor) to help him win because he is just too good a person,” he said.

Helmy is facing Pakatan Harapan’s Poo Long Suan in a straight fight for the Duyong seat.

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