30 Years Educating, One Heart for the People
Educating Minds, Serving Communities
郑育娟
I'm Cikgu Tay, born and raised in Labis, and I've taught here my whole life. In the classroom I walk children through their books; outside it, I walk alongside my neighbours through everyday life — carrying relief supplies box by box when the flood came, seeing a blocked drain or a broken street lamp through until it's fixed. A teacher's work has never stopped at the classroom door. This time, I want to carry my care into the State Assembly, and keep walking with Bekok, going further.
You went out to the world. I stayed to keep home.
Hello, I'm Cikgu Tay. For thirty years I've stayed on this soil, walking alongside Labis's children as they grow, one cohort after another — glad for the ones who do well, and all the more unwilling to give up on the ones who fall behind, sitting with them question by question until they slowly catch up, then watching them set off into a wider world with my own eyes. I have always believed that not giving up on a single child is the most basic duty of a teacher. Education is slow work. It comes with no applause, but it is the most important, and most rewarding, thing I have done with my life.
I know many of you left home long ago, to work in Singapore, in Johor Bahru, in Kuala Lumpur, in places far away. You did it for your families, to build a better life, and there is nothing wrong with that. I am genuinely happy for you. But year by year there are fewer people left in our villages, fewer young faces around, and I can't help wondering: this place that raised every one of us, will it one day be quietly forgotten, quietly left behind?
And out there, what weighs on you most are the children and aging parents you've left back home. Let me say one thing: leave home to me. The children who stay here, I'll do as I've done all these years — sit with them as they study, walk with them as they grow, and bring a stronger foundation in education and after-school activities into our community, so that no child is left behind. The elders who stay here, I'll bring free clinics and health care right to their doorstep, so the people of our villages live healthier and more at ease. You go and work hard out there; home is here, and I'm watching over it — so you can move forward with your mind at rest. So this time, do me, and yourself, a favour: on 11 July, make time to come home and cast this vote. I won't shout big slogans. I only want to hold to one thing: to always be here, walking with this land, going further together.
Always here, never absent
Most of what I've done over the years is small, and I rarely set out to record it. Not one of the things I have done are only for the election. They are just things someone ought to do, that I happened to be there for, and was willing to do. Here are a few I still remember.
- 012018–2019 as Labis head of villagehelped repair the public basketball-court toilets, organised Gotong-Royong to clear drains, helped residents apply for home-repair aid
- 022023 Chaah & Labis floodson the ground from the first moment, delivering supplies, dry rations and drinking water, and helping clean up homes afterwards
- 03Staying on local issuesJalan Sultan traffic lights in Chaah, Taman Mewah drains, a broken streetlight on Jalan Sultan, the Chaah hawker centre, fire hydrants, following up every complaint with the Labis District Council
- 04Walking students forward, never giving up on a childthe strong ones and the ones falling behind alike, I sat with them step by step until they caught up; many Hanlin tuition students scored straight A's (10A) in SPM and countless went on to matriculation; took SPM leavers to visit UKM to explore their options
- 05Cross-community and digital helpran MyDigital ID mobile counters (88 elders in Chaah, 85 in Bekok registered) and promoted postal votes (undi pos) in both languages
- 06Bringing care into the communityfree health screenings and clinics with KPJ, specialists and a Chinese-medicine team (bone, blood-pressure and blood-sugar checks)
From education · serving through action
In the classroom, I taught children what responsibility and justice mean. Now it's my turn to step down from the teacher's desk and do it myself.
Cikgu Tay
Three promises to DUN Bekok
I've never dealt in empty words or chased status; once I'm sure something is right, I see it through. The three things below are ones I'm already doing, and can do better for you once elected. (Full manifesto to follow.)
No child left behind for what their family can't afford
Every child starts from a different place, but every child deserves someone willing to give them a hand up. I'll fight for resources for students in need and walk our young people step by step toward further study. Because I have always believed marks don’t mean everything, and a child who has truly been believed in goes further.
Let our elders grow old in peace, in their own village
An elder at home is a treasure. I'll sit with senior and struggling families and get their government aid (STR / SARA / Johor aid) sorted one by one, push for better healthcare and recreation facilities, and bring free medical check up right to your doorstep, so those who worked hard all their lives can age with dignity, and with company.
The small problems at your doorstep are the big topics on my desk.
A broken streetlight, a clogged drain, floodwater seeping into your living room. To your home, these can never be abided. Every appeal from Chaah, Bekok and Sungai Karas, whatever your race, will be heard, followed up, and seen through to the end.
Become part of the support team
In DUN Bekok, the result can come down to a few hundred votes, so your vote really matters. Leave your name and I'll make sure you hear the latest news first. On polling day, if you can't get around or have no transport, we'll arrange a car to bring you. Because to me, not one vote can be spared, and not one person left behind.