The Indian community has not deserted the DAP although their support for the party's candidate at the Teluk Intan by-election has reduced, said Penang Deputy Chief Minister P Ramasamy.
Ramasamy (left) said although Indian support for DAP in the recently-concluded by-election dropped in comparison to the 2013 general election, the majority of Indians supported the party.
"More than 50 per cent of Indians supported DAP, especially those living in town areas, Ladang Cicely, Batu 4, Nova Scotia and in the various housing estates," Ramasamy told Malaysiakini, sharing his own analysis on the recent polls.
"So it is wrong to say that Indians deserted the DAP."
Last Sunday, DAP's Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud lost by 238 votes to Gerakan president Mah Siew Keong for the Teluk Intan parliamentary seat.
The DAP blamed low voter turnout of 67.4 per cent, a massive drop from 80 percent in last year's general election, as the main cause of Dyana's defeat.
According to Serdang MP Ong Kian Ming'sanalysis, the Indian support for the party fell by 10 per cent from 62 percent in 2013 to 52 percent in this by-election.
Ong added Chinese support for the DAP dropped by 15 per cent in 2013 to 75 per cent in the by-election.
However, one bright spot in outcome of the by election for DAP is that in the six Malay majority polling stations, Malay support for Dyana (left, in picture) went up to about 3.4 percent, Ong had also noted.
Ramasamy said the lower turn-out, as described by Ong, affected all communities including the Indians in rural or semi-rural areas.
He blamed BN for handing out sweeteners to the community, which he said led to the fall in support for DAP.
These, he claimed, occurred in estate areas in Ulu Bernam, Kampung Guru, Ladang Selaba.
"In the 2013 election, about 40 per cent of Indians in rural areas voted for BN," said the Prai assemblyperson, who is also DAP deputy secretary.
"In this election, the Indian voter percentage for BN probably went up as a result of the goodies and other promises delivered by the BN component parties," he added.
Ramasamy alleged that a BN-friendly party had campaigned that if the coalition came to power, there will be land allocation for them.
But the Indian Progressive Front, which was implicated by the DAP during the by-election campaign, had denied it's involvement in the matter.
At the same time, 12 of the total of 28 Tamil schools were given financial assistance ranging from RM25,000 to RM100,000, he added.
More DAP branches in rural Indian areas
He added that next time around, more party branches have to be formed in rural areas of Indian concentrations.
"During my campaign in rural areas and in estates, I discovered that many Indians are not even registered voters in the first place.
"In Ulu Bernam, hardly many people showed up during our ceramah," he noted.
He said during the election campaign, both DAP and BN thought that Indians who comprised 19 per cent of the voters would decide the winning candidate.
"In the last general election in 2013, Indian support for DAP was more than 60 per cent whereas Indians in the rural areas primarily estates could have cast their vote in favour of BN," he said.
"In fact, BN knowing well that Chinese support would go to DAP, decided to bank in on Indians and Malays," Ramasamy added.
Ramasamy (left) said although Indian support for DAP in the recently-concluded by-election dropped in comparison to the 2013 general election, the majority of Indians supported the party."More than 50 per cent of Indians supported DAP, especially those living in town areas, Ladang Cicely, Batu 4, Nova Scotia and in the various housing estates," Ramasamy told Malaysiakini, sharing his own analysis on the recent polls.
"So it is wrong to say that Indians deserted the DAP."
Last Sunday, DAP's Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud lost by 238 votes to Gerakan president Mah Siew Keong for the Teluk Intan parliamentary seat.
The DAP blamed low voter turnout of 67.4 per cent, a massive drop from 80 percent in last year's general election, as the main cause of Dyana's defeat.
According to Serdang MP Ong Kian Ming'sanalysis, the Indian support for the party fell by 10 per cent from 62 percent in 2013 to 52 percent in this by-election.Ong added Chinese support for the DAP dropped by 15 per cent in 2013 to 75 per cent in the by-election.
However, one bright spot in outcome of the by election for DAP is that in the six Malay majority polling stations, Malay support for Dyana (left, in picture) went up to about 3.4 percent, Ong had also noted.
Ramasamy said the lower turn-out, as described by Ong, affected all communities including the Indians in rural or semi-rural areas.He blamed BN for handing out sweeteners to the community, which he said led to the fall in support for DAP.
These, he claimed, occurred in estate areas in Ulu Bernam, Kampung Guru, Ladang Selaba.
"In the 2013 election, about 40 per cent of Indians in rural areas voted for BN," said the Prai assemblyperson, who is also DAP deputy secretary.
"In this election, the Indian voter percentage for BN probably went up as a result of the goodies and other promises delivered by the BN component parties," he added.
Ramasamy alleged that a BN-friendly party had campaigned that if the coalition came to power, there will be land allocation for them.
But the Indian Progressive Front, which was implicated by the DAP during the by-election campaign, had denied it's involvement in the matter.
At the same time, 12 of the total of 28 Tamil schools were given financial assistance ranging from RM25,000 to RM100,000, he added.
More DAP branches in rural Indian areas
He added that next time around, more party branches have to be formed in rural areas of Indian concentrations.
"During my campaign in rural areas and in estates, I discovered that many Indians are not even registered voters in the first place.
"In Ulu Bernam, hardly many people showed up during our ceramah," he noted.He said during the election campaign, both DAP and BN thought that Indians who comprised 19 per cent of the voters would decide the winning candidate.
"In the last general election in 2013, Indian support for DAP was more than 60 per cent whereas Indians in the rural areas primarily estates could have cast their vote in favour of BN," he said.
"In fact, BN knowing well that Chinese support would go to DAP, decided to bank in on Indians and Malays," Ramasamy added.
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