Will the support of Indian voters be lost in the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election?

Will the support of Indian voters be lost in the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election?





Letter to Editor

PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s government, which won with strong support of 85% Indian voters in the last 15th general election, is in doubt if it will be able to regain their support again in the upcoming May 11 Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election.

The by-election is going to be held following the death of three-term assemblywoman Lee Kee Hiong in last March due to cancer; she stood there under the banner of Pakatan Harapan (PH) and won with the highest number of votes.

The unity government formed with the support of Barisan National after a scuffle between the two parties.

Anwar had appointed Tamil-speaking Batu Gajah MP V. Sivakumar as Human Resources Minister. Later, he was removed due to corruption issues, and Gobind Singh Deo – who does not know Tamil – was appointed as a full minister.

Even though many voices spoke out against the appointment, Anwar did not address it and appointed Steven Sim Chee Keong as Human Resources Minister, worsening the situation because the Indian community expected the position to go to another Tamil-speaking person like Ipoh Barat MP M. Kula Segaran.

There is no denying the fact that the silence of many leaders of DAP and PKR, who did not speak up about Indian issues as before, during their time in the opposition bench and who shouted on the stage that they would bring a renaissance in the lives of the Indian community, has created many doubts among Indian voters.

This situation has put the government in a dilemma. The fear of how they are going to get closer to the Indian society has caused great embarrassment to the Indian leaders in the PH coalition.

Therefore, the question arises as to how the PH government will be able to get Indian votes in the expected by-election.

Given the scenario, the Perikatan Nasional coalition has the Malay voters at its disposal. So, the Malay voters will definitely throw their support behind the coalition.

Even if the Chinese community votes with loyalty to DAP, it will be difficult to win because it is the Indian voters who are going to decide the victory of that constituency!

While PN is expected to give the constituency to Gerakan this time, the coalition has a bright chance of winning if it fields an Indian candidate there.

Will the coalition take advantage of the weakness of the Madani government and capture the constituency of Kuala Kubu Bahru? – April 15, 2024



Sandra Segaran Arumugam is a Focus Malaysia reader.