Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email Well, if Samy Vellu can use MGR, I guess so can anyone else.
Ramasamy uses elements of Kollywood to woo Indian voters
BY K. SUTHAKAR
NIBONG TEBAL: Sporting a neatly-trimmed grey beard, Dr P. Ramasamy resembles an aging rock singer rather than a political scientist. Just before nomination day on Sunday, he trimmed his greying hair, making him look some five years younger.
Ramasamy, who is the DAP candidate for the Batu Kawan parliamentary seat and Perai state seat, has taken a leaf from Kollywood (Tamil film industry) to woo Indian voters. He is using inspirational songs from movies of Tamil heartthrob the late MGR to fire them up to vote for the Opposition via Makkal Sakti (people’s power).
Ramasamy, 58, a political novice, is pitted against Gerakan acting president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, 59, in one of the hottest parliamentary seats in country.
Dr Koh, who is contesting in his seventh general election, is expected to win easily but some quarters are not ruling out Ramasamy emerging as a giant killer.
This is because Indians, who comprise 23.7% of the 47,378 voters in Batu Kawan (Chinese 55.5% and the rest Malays) are said to be unhappy with the state government for neglecting them over the years.
In the last elections, Barisan Nasional candidate Hun Cheng Guan won the seat by a mere 2,446 votes after taking into account the total number of votes secured by the two opposition candidates.
Knowing that he is the underdog, Ramasamy is going all out to woo Indian and Chinese voters.
At a ceramah in Perkampungan Valdor hall on Wednesday night, an MGR song blared the moment Ramasamy was invited to address the 300-odd crowd. Another MGR song was played when he ended his speech.
Displaying his gung-ho spirit, Ramasamy, who was accompanied on his rounds by his wife K. Kalairasi, said he was ready to debate hot issues in Parliament. “Dr Koh is a nice and humble person. But, do you think he has the courage to stand up against Umno?” he repeatedly asked the Chinese crowd during the walk-about.
all the best to Dr.P.Ramasamy . It will be a history if he wins Batu Kawan.
it gonna be tough against a party president . Indeed it depends wht chinese think about it.