Rais Yatim upset former seat Jelebu given to MIC

GE14 | Former minister Rais Yatim is upset over rumours that the Negeri Sembilan parliamentary seat of Jelebu – currently held by Umno – will be given to MIC.

Rais, who held the seat until 2013, said he was informed of the matter by the Jelebu Umno division chief.

"I don't agree with this move due to many reasons – firstly, there are around 33,000 Malays, over 12,000 Chinese and only 2,600 Indians in Jelebu.

"It's hard to justify this move, especially since Umno has been in Jelebu for so long, it's not easy to give Jelebu to MIC just like that without proper negotiations," Rais told Malaysiakini.

An MIC source confirmed that the party has indeed been given the Jelebu seat.

"Yes, and (MIC deputy president) SK Devamany (photo below) is the candidate," the source told Malaysiakini.

Meanwhile, Rais, who is also sociocultural advisor to the government, claimed that village chiefs, as well as representatives from polling districts and divisions, were not consulted on the matter.

"I contacted the menteri besar and he, too, does not have details about it.

"As a veteran Umno leader, I think this move will only create many risks," he said.

'No dearth of leaders'

Rais also pointed out how there was no dearth of leaders in Jelebu.

"There are many young and middle-aged leaders, there are also many old ones. Looking at the trend in which (former premier) Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah will also be contesting in the election, maybe Jelebu, too, has people like them."

Rais said he has since contacted the party's top leadership as well as division and state level leaders on the matter.

"I think they should take into account my views, because I have been handling Jelebu Umno for a long time.

"I don't think there is enough time to change the voters' attitude if an MIC candidate is introduced. I hope Umno Jelebu will be given the upper hand to choose their leader."

Having been informed of the matter on Sunday, Rais also said that he was told that the decision was made give an advantage to Port Dickson, formerly known as Teluk Kemang.

"But I don't see why Jelebu should be sacrificed to give advantage to Port Dickson and what more, the ratio of Indians in Port Dickson is higher than in Jelebu,” he said.

Seat swap

Asked whether the move could be due to a seat swap arrangement involving Port Dickson, which was previously contested by MIC, Rais said he was uncertain.

"There is that possibility and there are talks about it, but I cannot comment because it's a different area.

"My focus is Jelebu. I was approached by many quarters asking that the matter be relayed to the top leadership.

"Even those from MIC asked to meet but I told them that I'm not the key, and that I only have concrete reasons why they should not enter Jelebu," he said.

Jelebu currently does not have an incumbent lawmaker after Zainudin Ismail passed away due to complications from a brain tumour in December last year.

In the last general election, Zainudin won the seat by defeating Raj Munni Sabu of PAS with 7,101-vote majority.

Making way for Isa?

Speculation is rife that the seat swap may be intended to pave the way for troubled Umno MP Mohd Isa Samad to contest in Port Dickson.

Malaysiakini previously reported that Isa may not be defending his Jempol seat.

Although Isa (photo) has been Jempol MP for two terms, in 2004 and 2013 – he did not contest in 2008 – he is Teluk Kemang Umno division chief.

He has been embroiled in a number of scandals involving Felda, and was replaced as chairperson of the agency by incumbent Johor Bahru MP Shahrir Abdul Samad.

In August last year, he was arrested by MACC in connection with controversial hotel purchases by Felda.

A source had said that if Isa is not defending Jempol, he has no other parliamentary seats in Negeri Sembilan in which he could be fielded.

The seven other parliamentary seats in the state are either held by Umno leaders or the opposition.

Negri Sembilan caretaker menteri besar Mohamad Hasan had already announced MIC information chief VS Mogan as BN's candidate for Port Dickson.

The MIC source is unsure whether Port Dickson was swapped with Jelebu.

Port Dickson/Teluk Kemang is currently held by PKR's Kamarul Bahrain Abbas, who won the seat by 1,579 votes, defeating Mogan.

In 2013, 21 percent of voters in Port Dickson/Teluk Kemang were Indian, compared to just five percent of Indian voters in Jelebu. -Mkini