Ramasamy hails PN’s Sg Bakap polls victory as “historic”; Indian no longer fall for PH’s mutton, chicken curry

Focus Malaysia:

Ramasamy hails PN’s Sg Bakap polls victory as “historic”; Indian no longer fall for PH’s mutton, chicken curry

By Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy

OBVIOUSLY, the educated candidate Dr Joohari Ariffin was no match for the grassroots man Abidin Ismail yet the latter polled 14,554 votes in yesterday’s (July 6) Sungai Bakap state by-election against his much-learned opponent who secured 10,285 votes.


The majority obtained by the Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidate was three times more than his predecessor who had amassed a majority of slightly more than 1,500 votes against the Pakatan Harapan (PH)-led coalition candidate in the 2023 state elections.

The massive victory by PN was assisted by the high turnout of Malays to the extent of 70% while Chinese voter turnout was low around 47% and Indians around 58%. Still, the Indian voter turnout – surprisingly – exceeded the expected less than 50% Indian voters in the state constituency.


PN won in most of the polling stations. The non-support of the PH-led coalition candidate by Indian voters was conspicuous in polling stations with Indian majority.

This is so much so that there were some frantic efforts by leaders of the PH-led coalition to mobilise Indian voters to turn up to vote on the polling day.


It is obvious that pre-election goodies in the form of mutton and chicken curry to placate Indian voters did not work to the coalition’s advantage.

I was informed by Indian community leaders in Puteri Gunung, Sungai Bakap, Seruling Mas and Sungai Kecil that even before the Sunga Bakap by-election announcement, Indians had decided not to vote for the ruling coalition.

Although the percentage Indian voter turnout exceeded the Chinese, the majority of Indian votes went to PN. A very surprised development compared to the past.

History in making

In fact, Indians tried not to stay away from the polls but came out to teach the PH-coalition a lesson that could not be forgotten.

Majority of Chinese votes went to PH-led coalition. There were some Chinese protest votes against the PH-led coalition.

The Sungai Bakap by-election would go down in the electoral history of the country where Indians shifted their votes from the once popular PH-led coalition to the PN.

In some of the PN gatherings I attended, PN was much more open and conciliatory towards the Indian community. Some PN Malay leaders went to the extent of speaking in support of the urgent need by the federal government to complete the building of the new Sungai Bakap Tamil School.

This time around, Indian support might not have been just protest votes against the PH-led coalition. Indians are seriously looking for a political alternative in the country. At the same time, PN leaders are leaning towards the Indian community in getting their support.

Although the United Rights of the Malaysian Party (Urimai) is not registered party, its influence among the Indians in areas such Sunga Kecil, Puteri Gunung, Sungai Bakap, Ladang Sempah and other areas was crucial in getting Indians in not supporting the PH-led coalition candidate.

Although Urimai directly campaign for the PN candidate, it became obvious to the Indian voters that their non-support for the PH-led coalition meant indirectly the support of the PN.

The absence of other independents or candidates from other political parties was beneficial to PN coalition. – July 7, 2024



Former DAP stalwart and Penang chief minister II Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is chairman of the United Rights of Malaysian Party (Urimai) interim council.