Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email With a string of failed campaigns behind them, MIC hopes to turn the tables around this time. This time around, Samy Vellu is leaving it to the newly minted vice president and deputies to lead the assault, BUT he will oversee the campaign. I was surprised to read about this line “They will mobilise hundreds of (MIC) Youth and Wanita members to assist families (of voters) by staying with them,”. Whoa, to the extend of staying with them? Surely pressure to the voters la. Silap – silap become harassment case ! 🙂
Anyway, according to the fact-finding team led by Samy Vellu, majority of the voters are staying elsewhere (2000 out of 2800 Indian voters in Bagan Pinang). So, MIC is going to ensure these people return and vote for BN candidate. That’s a tall order indeed, considering the recent issues in Kg Buah Pala and Shah Alam Section 23.
PORT DICKSON: An MIC delegation led by president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu met the Indian community in the Bagan Pinang state constituency to identify their problems.
The fact-finding team comprising newly-elected MIC vice-president and Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam, Negri Sembilan MIC chief Datuk T. Rajagopalu and state executive councillor V.S. Mogan were received by party members and local residents.
They spent half a day visiting the Indian-majority areas of Ladang Seliau, Ladang Arthurthen, Ladang Sua Betong and Ladang Bradwall. [I wonder what the Tamil Schools here will get as goodies. Dear HMs, make hay while the sun shines!]
Speaking to reporters, Samy Vellu said the four estates alone had 1,890 registered Indian voters from the total 2,600 Indian voters in the constituency who form 20% of the total electorate.
“According to our survey, up to 2,000 Indian voters are no longer staying in the constituency but in nearby areas, with 40% living and working in Seremban, Kuala Lumpur and Johor Baru,” he said.
The party’s main task was to ensure that these 2,000 Indians vote on polling day, he said, adding that MIC would soon start mobilising its election machinery that would be led by party deputy president Datuk G. Palanivel.
Nominations for the Bagan Pinang by-election is on Oct 3 while polling is on Oct 11.
The seat fell vacant with the death of its assemblyman Azman Mohammad Noor on Sept 4.
Samy Vellu said three teams would be formed headed by Dr Subramaniam and two other newly-elected MIC vice-presidents, Datuk S.K. Devamany and Datuk M. Saravanan.
“They will mobilise hundreds of (MIC) Youth and Wanita members to assist families (of voters) by staying with them,” he said, adding that MIC would adopt a different strategy to woo the Indian voters in the by-election.
“I will oversee the running of the entire team to ensure victory for the Barisan Nasional,” he said, adding that Palanivel and Dr Subramaniam were expected to hold a series of meetings with local residents and party workers.
However, there may be a silver lining for MIC because it seems both Hindraf and HRP are not decided on a stand yet. They are not supporting BNÂ and also reluctant to endorse PR.
It is learnt that leaders and supporters of HRP and Hindraf will meet this weekend to decide on their official stand for the by-election on Oct 11.
Earlier, there were rumours that the newly-formed HRP may field a candidate to contest as an independent.
However, according to sources from HRP and Hindraf, neither of the movements would do this.A source said: “We will support neither BN (Barisan Nasioal) nor PR (Pakatan Rakyat). We cannot support BN, while at the same time we cannot rally behind the PR coalition either.
“We cannot support PR for two reasons: the Kampung Lorong Buah Pala controversy where Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng let the Indians down, and also the Selangor government’s poor handling of the Shah Alam Hindu temple relocation.”
Some quarters propose that the Indians abstain from voting, to show that they are unhappy with both coalitions. I’m not so sure it will help the PR coalition if that’s the stand by the voters. In the previous election, BN won even with the Indians voting for PR candidate, so there’s nothing to suggest otherwise this time. Perhaps it will shock the PR coalition to buck up and pay heed to the Indian community. Perhaps not. The number of constituencies with Indian voters being more than 20% is just an handful.
Bagan Pinang vital stats: There are 14,192 voters in the constituency, with Malays making up 64 per cent, Chinese 10.8 per cent, Indians 20.4 per cent and other races, 4.9 per cent. There are 5,171 postal votes.
