Santiago: PH can win support of 40% Malays in Klang

Klang MP says social policies by Selangor government have benefited many poor families in his constituency.

KLANG: Klang MP Charles Santiago has expressed confidence that Pakatan Harapan can win at least 40% of the Malay votes in Klang even if a three-cornered fight takes place in the coming general election.

Although the constituency is made up of a Chinese-majority voter base of 46%, there is also a significant portion of Malay voters at 32%, potentially affecting Pakatan Harapan’s chances of winning the seat in the event of a three-cornered fight with both BN and PAS.

Indian voters make up 20% of the constituency.

Santiago, however, believes that PH still has a good chance even if a three-cornered contest takes place, basing his claim on the “good work” the Selangor government has done for the people, including those in Klang.

“The parliamentary seat is not an issue,” he told FMT. “We have done a lot of work and the state government’s policies have been very helpful.

“One can’t deny the fact that the state government has really gone out to help. The social policies it has rolled out over the last few years have made a huge difference in the quality of life for the people.”

Santiago claimed that because of all these social policies — which he said had been especially helpful for the poorer Malays and Indians in the state — BN would find it hard to make any inroads in Selangor.

“The Inisiatif Peduli Rakyat (IPR) has been fantastic and all races, especially the poor Malays and Indians, have really benefited from the programmes implemented.”

IPR is a Selangor-based initiative introduced by the Pakatan Rakyat government in 2008.

Among the programmes are the free feeder buses in Selangor, 20,000 litres of free water every month and the low-cost housing programme called Rumah Selangorku.

Santiago said it had not been officially stated whether PAS would be contesting in the Klang parliamentary seat but there have been rumours.

He first contested the seat in the 12th general election (GE12) against BN’s Ch’ng Toh Eng and managed to win a whopping 65% of the votes.

He defended the seat in GE13 when he went up against BN’s Teh Kim Poo and emerged victorious again. -FMT