Additional exco post for Indians in Selangor?

An additional exco seat will be the best move to reach out to the Indian community, says Selangor MIC secretary K Parthiban.

PETALING JAYA: In an attempt to win the hearts and minds of Indian voters, the Barisan Nasional (BN) is planning to give an additional state executive council (exco) seat in Selangor.

The ruling coalition would also promise an Indian-held exco seat for Indians in Pahang.

“In total, Selangor will have one extra Indian exco seat, making it two Indian exco members in the state while Pahang would have an Indian exco member. The Pahang’s exco is new.

“We expect this to be contained in the BN’s manifesto for the next general election,” a reliable source told FMT.

Prime Minister and BN chief Najib Tun Razak, the source said, has already promised the additional exco post for Indians in Selangor in his meeting with BN Indian leaders.

“But this is provided the BN takes back Selangor. He (Najib) also intends to push for an Indian exco post in his home state in Pahang. These strategies are in the pipeline and is expected to be announced during the campaign period for the next general election.

“This is BN effort to woo Indian voters,” he said, adding that the BN realised that it would need the votes of the community to retain power at the coming general election.

The source said Najib was “very sensitive” to the plight of the Indian community and would offer the best to rope in the votes.

More inclusive politics

Selangor has one of the largest Indian concentrations in terms of population, constituting 13 percent of the total 5.5 million people in the state.

MIC, a BN component party and the largest Indian-based political party in the country, has over nearly three decades asked the ruling BN to allocate an extra exco seat in the state.

“At the 2008 general election, the Indians were frustrated… they wanted their voice to be heard. They deserted the BN for the first time. Although Pakatan Rakyat had a golden opportunity to remedy BN’s mistake, it failed to capitalise on it.

“If Najib’s promise is kept, then many Indians, if not all, will return to the BN fold. Only a small number might remain with Pakatan,” said the source.

For the Pahang exco seat, Najib is expected to direct Menteri Besar Adnan Yaakob to allocate an extra exco post for Indians.

The Pahang state exco was increased from eight members to 10 in 1995. Indians hoped that an Indian could be accommodated in the enlarged exco. But this hope was dashed when the state government appointed two Umno leaders to the posts.

When contacted, Selangor MIC secretary K Parthiban said it was high time that the state had two Indian exco members.

“If the news is true, it’s most welcomed. An additional exco seat will be the best move to reach out to the Indian community and promote a more inclusive politics,” he added.

Pahang MIC Youth wing chief K Sivakumar said that the state exco post was no more a state issue but a national concern as it would convince Indians in other states that BN was indeed concerned about their plight.