At Labour Day bash, DAP-MIC link arms for Indian votes

 

KKB BY-ELECTION | In the fluid world of politics, there are no permanent friends or foes, and last night, Indian voters in Kuala Kubu Baharu witnessed two bitter adversaries - DAP and MIC - linking arms.

However, this is not the first time Hulu Selangor has been the stage for such unprecedented camaraderie. During the state election last August, DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang was welcomed with a flower garland as the guest of honour at a Hulu Selangor MIC luncheon.

“DAP and MIC will work together to steer this nation in the direction of unity,” declared Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh to some 600 people who attended last night’s Labour Day event that also featured cultural performances and local Indian artistes at Dewan Chuang in Rasa.

Others present were DAP chairperson Lim Guan Eng, Umno secretary-general Zambry Abdul Kadir and MIC deputy president M Saravanan.

Conspicuously absent were representatives from MCA, which is still sour about its acrimonious past with DAP.

However, Zambry told the audience that the programme exemplified the strength of the coalition government, born of the Pakatan Harapan-BN alliance after the last general election.

Dismissing claims of widening fissures in their partnership, he said: “Tonight, we can see the unity displayed by our friends in the unity government.

“Tonight, it is proven that the Indian community from various parties have gathered here because our goal is to ensure that the candidate from the unity government wins,” he added.

‘Don’t boycott polls’

Meanwhile, Saravanan acknowledged that there is a certain degree of disgruntlement towards the government but urged Indian voters to be wise.

Umno secretary-general Zambry Abdul Kadir and DAP chairperson Lim Guan Eng

“This is not the time to show your anger.

“I will not tell you who to vote for on May 11 (polling day), that is your right. All I am asking is not to boycott the election or vote with anger.

“If you boycott, both the victor and loser will not respect you. If you are still dissatisfied, then show this in the next general election,” he said.

At the same time, Saravanan, who spoke in Tamil, said although MIC and MCA supported the coalition government, the two parties were not given cabinet posts.

“Despite this, we are still supporting the government. So if we can support the government, why can’t you?” he added.

During his speech, Guan Eng called on voters to back Harapan candidate Pang Sock Tao so that the development programmes under the Selangor government can continue in Kuala Kubu Baharu.

Previously, Malaysiakini reported that there was a campaign to convince Indian voters to boycott the election because the government had purportedly neglected the community.

Former DAP leader P Ramasamy, who has since founded the Indian-based party Urimai, also urged Indian voters not to support the Harapan candidate.

Some pundits have predicted that Chinese voters would use this election to register their protest against DAP, which is being accused of having lost its voice.

In an interview with Malaysiakini last week, political scientist Wong Chin Huat said a defeat would force Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Harapan to return to the drawing board instead of riding on the notion that non-Malays and liberal Malaysians have no other option.

The Kuala Kubu Baharu seat, which is one of three state seats under the Hulu Selangor parliamentary constituency, has a voter breakdown of Malay (46 percent), Chinese (30 percent), Indian (18 percent), and others (six percent).

Perikatan Nasional controls the Hulu Selangor parliamentary seat and the two state seats (Hulu Bernam and Batang Kali) while Kuala Kubu Baharu has been under DAP since the 2013 polls.

The by-election, called after the death of its incumbent Lee Kee Hiong, would see a four-cornered tussle between Pang, PN’s Khairul Azhari Saut, Hafizah Zainudin from Parti Rakyat Malaysia and Nyau Ke Xin who is an independent candidate. - Mkini