MIC: Indian support for BN now highest among all races

GE14 | MIC president S Subramaniam estimates that Indian support for BN surpasses that of Malays, Chinese and other races.

With the 14th general election less than a month away, he pegged that support at 65 percent "at least."

“The support of the Indian community towards BN is at least 65 percent.

“There are places where we have 80 percent, some places where we have 75 percent, 60 percent and 50 percent. But on average I think the support is in the range of 60 to 65 percent.

“Especially in states like Selangor and the Federal Territory, it appears that support from the Indian community for BN is highest there," Subramaniam said in his speech to launch the party’s GE14 manifesto at the MIC headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today.

In the last election, he said Indian support for BN was 48 percent.

Subramaniam later told reporters the 65 percent figure was arrived at following on the ground surveys with some 800,000 Indians.

“The percentage of Indian support for BN is higher compared with those of the other races... we know the trust is with us.

“We are intensifying our campaign to make sure that this support, which is evident based on our (outreach) studies, is reflected as votes in the election,” he told a press conference after the launch.

He, however, denied the possibility of an 'Indian tsunami' in favour of BN.

“I wouldn’t call it a 'tsunami', but I think there will be more support for BN from the Indian community (in this election),” he said.

Subramaniam anticipated that such support would only increase following the launch of the party’s GE14 manifesto.

Among the manifesto’s promises are to ensure that a minimum of seven percent of public service jobs and public universities places would be given to Indians.

It also vowed to provide RM50 million in funds for Indian entrepreneurs, free preschool education for Indian children, and to build 25 Indian community centres, as well as crematoriums.

This is the first time MIC has come up with an election manifesto specifically for the Indian community.

Prepared for Cameron ‘sabotage’

Meanwhile, Subramaniam distanced himself from MyPPP president M Kayveas’ thinly-veiled threat to “reconsider” the party’s membership in BN.

Kayveas had said this in light of the possibility of him not being given the Cameron Highlands seat, even warning of potential acts of “sabotage” from voters aligned to MyPPP.

Today, Subramaniam reiterated that MIC’s decision to contest the parliamentary seat was “not in contention,” and said the party was prepared to face any potential sabotage.

“We have said many times that Cameron Highlands is an MIC seat.

“When you head to an election, you have got to be prepared for anything, and that includes sabotage,” he said. -Mkini