Close fight in Kapar

BN and Pakatan are neck-to-neck in the fight for the largest parliamentary seat in the country in terms of the number of voters.

PETALING JAYA: Despite losing the Kapar seat by a massive 12,000 vote margin in the last election, the Barisan Nasional candidate for the seat believes he has a 50-50 chance of winning the parliamentary constituency which has over 112,000 registered voters.

A Sakthivel, who is also the Puchong MIC division chief, said although it will not be easy for BN to win the seat, it is nevertheless not an impossible task.

“I am not new to Kapar and I have been working here for two years. The electorate is quite familiar with me.

“BN is now extending opportunities to the younger generation (to contest under the BN banner) and I fall into this category,” said the 43-year-old father of three.

Sakhtivel ventured into politics due to poverty when he had lost his parents at a very young age. His education was partially funded by a temple. He graduated from University Putra Malaysia (UPM) with a degree in chemical engineering

While being involved in a trading business, he developed a passion for social work which led him to join MIC. He then moved up the ranks to become the party’s Puchong division chief.

He has pledged to improvise the lives of Indians and amongst the two main things he will deliver as soon as he comes to power will be a community hall for the Indian community and a crematorium.

Kapar will witness a six-cornered tussle. Others in the fray are G Manivannan of PKR, Mohd Pathan Hussin (Berjasa), Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz (IND), Palaya Rengaiah (IND) and Norhamzah Suratman (IND).

The Kapar seat incumbent S Manikavasagam from PKR has been moved to the Bukit Melawati state seat in Selangor in this election.

The former MP won the seat with a majority of 12,297 votes in the 2008 general election.

PKR’s new face confident

Manivannan, a 38-year-old law graduate, told FMT that although it will be an intense battle to win the seat, he is confident of clinching it.

“I am focusing on meeting the voters and my chances are bright as I am receiving good and positive support from voters. I am just focusing on my strategy and moving forward regardless of my opponents,” he added.

Detractors however said that Manivannan is a “parachute” candidate introduced in the constituency just two days before nomination on April 20.

Kapar PKR deputy election director Dr Nedunchelian Vengu said although the BN candidate started to work on the ground much earlier, the people’s mood favours the opposition candidate.

Nedunchelian said the people are more focussed on the candidate rather than the party they represent.

Commenting on PKR’s winning chances, he said the party candidate stood a decent chance of retaining the seat.

He also dismissed speculation that he is against Manivannan’s candidature and promised to do “whatever I can” for PKR to win the seat.

Kapar has 112,224 voters with 51% Malays, 35% Chinese and 13% Indians.