GE15 | While frog legs are known to be a delicacy in many parts of the world, the word “frog” in the context of the Malaysian political scene can be regarded as a fairly sensitive word, to the extent of being revolting to some.
Over the years, Perak has earned itself the unfavourable reputation of being the central location for “amphibious politicians”, where the state administration changed three times without going to the polls - once in 2008 and twice in 2020 following the infamous “Sheraton Move”.
As the campaign period for the 15th general election (GE15) kicked off yesterday, it is evident that several politicians who have been labelled party-hoppers or “traitors” will be defending their seats.
Malaysiakini spoke to several of these politicians about their disgraceful label and their chances of convincing voters to once again vote for them.
‘Saviour’ of the rakyat”?
A Sivasubramaniam, who had switched parties four times since 2020, is defending the Buntong state seat in the polls – but this time as a Bersatu associate candidate under Perikatan Nasional.
On March 9, 2020, Sivasubramaniam announced that he had left DAP, along with comrade and incumbent Tronoh assemblyperson Paul Yong, to become an independent candidate following the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan state government in 2020.
After three months of being partyless, he joined Gerakan - but not for long.
Together with Paul, he then joined Bersatu in March 2021. However, their stay with the Muhyiddin Yassin-led party did not last long as the “party-hopping” duo later defected and joined the fledgling Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) at the beginning of this year.
Just shy of two weeks before caretaker prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced the dissolution of Parliament to make way for GE15, Sivasubramaniam made his last jump – to rejoin Bersatu as an associate.
Following his “adventures” across four different parties in the span of just as many years, his former party boss in DAP, Nga Kor Ming, has dubbed him the “champion of frogs”.
“No, no such thing. Where got (sic) five times? What does he know? What has he given to the Perakians?
“I’m on the ground with the people all the time. They know what I’m doing and I’m very confident of my work in my constituency,” Sivasubramaniam told Malaysiakini.
He also shrugged off the “traitor” label and instead stressed that he is the “saviour of the people”.
“We are not pengkhianat (traitors),” he laughed.
“What do you mean by traitors? Traitors mean we jump from one party to another party.
“We have a strong reason why we wanted to leave the party (DAP) because whatever they promised in the GE14 manifesto, they did not fulfil to the people.
“I can’t go back and face the people to tell them to vote for me again. I can’t cheat the voters by telling them once I am in the ruling government, I can fulfil (the promises).”
He insisted that Buntong constituents still wish for him to serve the community as he had delivered what he promised.
“I don’t need to speak for myself. The people are saying I’m on the ground and I’m fulfilling what the people want.
“I’m there with the people and for the people.”
In the previous election, he defeated his opponents from MIC and PSM at Buntong by obtaining a whopping majority of 15,323 votes.
In this election, Sivasubramaniam is in a five-cornered fight for Buntong, going against Harapan’s T Manogaran, BN’s S Jayagopi, and two independent candidates – Sebastiar and Muhammad Faiz Abdullah.
‘Nobody thinks I’m a traitor’
Paul shared the same sentiments, saying the “traitor” label is merely an agenda brought about by his former party.
“Nobody (in the constituency) thinks I’m a traitor. I quit DAP because the government already collapsed.
“You should understand, I did not get involved with any party to overthrow the government (at that time),” he insisted.
Despite encouragement from voters in his constituency for him to contest in the national polls, the PBM man said it is a safer bet to field his eldest son, Bryan Yong.
“People kept asking me to contest. But because I know the EC could reject me, I don’t want to contest.
“So I put (forth) my son,” he told Malaysiakini.
Paul was a three-term DAP assemblyperson and a former Perak executive councillor between 2018 and 2020.
However, his political career took a hit in 2019 when he was accused of raping a domestic helper at his home.
On July 27, the Ipoh High Court found him guilty and sentenced him to 13 years in jail and two lashes of the cane. He is appealing the decision.
The Tronoh state constituency will see a six-way fight involving Bryan, Steven Tiw (Harapan), Sin Koon Yen (PN), Leong Chee Wai (BN), Roslan Ismail (GTA), and independent candidate Meor Shahimudin Hasim.
‘Urbanites who hate frogs are not my voters’
Meanwhile, another ex-DAP man and incumbent Malim Nawar assemblyperson, Leong Cheok Keng, also had his fair share of party hopping.
This came after his membership was terminated by DAP early last year as he was suspected of joining MCA.
Leong then remained independent, and later joined PBM on January 14.
However, two days before nomination day (Nov 5), he told reporters at the eleventh hour that he will be defending his seat under Warisan, citing several problems revolving around his previous party PBM.
“I’ll contest under Warisan because of PBM’s presidency dispute. Since Warisan is a multiracial party that is in line with my political beliefs, I decided to use their logo after engaging with the leadership.
“I only switched to Warisan a few days ago, so there shouldn’t be issues accusing me of party hopping. I am no more the assemblyperson here, this is freedom of association,” he told Malaysiakini.
Acknowledging urban voters’ sentiments and their alleged hatred towards political frogs, he said they are not his voters.
“They stay in the city and do not understand the needs of my people.
“The people here need my service. From fixing the streetlights to building new roads, catching snakes, and cleaning the drains.
“They need our services and we actually serve them well,” he said.
Leong was in a three-cornered fight for Malim Nawar in GE14, going up against MCA’s Chang Gwo Chyang and PSM’s K Bawani. He successfully defended the seat with a majority of 6,082 votes.
This time around, he will face Harapan’s Shasha, PN’s Sherry Syed, and BN’s Chin Woon Kheong for the state seat.
‘Locals priorities locals’
Over in Kuala Kurau, incumbent assemblyperson Abdul Yunus Jamahri expressed confidence that he will be able to defend the seat he had held for three terms under PKR’s banner.
Yunus defected from PKR and the Harapan coalition in March 2020 to “voluntarily” join Bersatu.
“The feedback from the people in Kuala Kurau is that they prioritise local candidates who are able to provide services and bring development to the constituency,” he was reported as saying by Harian Metro.
“I am confident that based on my service track record during the three terms, the people could evaluate which representative they want.”
In the previous general election, Yunus defeated his opponents from BN and PAS by 2,643 votes.
For GE15, he is set to be in a three-way fight with different opponents - Harapan’s Cikgu Anuar and BN’s Cikgu Jamil.
Meanwhile, incumbent Titi Serong assemblyperson Hasnul Zulkarnain Abd Munaim who previously defected from Amanah along with Sivasubramaniam and Paul in March 2020, returned to the coalition’s fold this October.
However, Hasnul said he will not be defending his seat this time and would campaign to ensure Harapan’s candidate Muhamad Nakhaie Abd Wahab emerges victorious in the elections.
As Malaysia enters Day 2 of the GE15 campaign period, the question remains how will the defectors fare at the polls? - Mkini
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