Samy Vellu said the MIC would swap the Ijok state seat in Selangor for Umno’s Bukit Melawati seat.
Positively gushing about the changes he was introducing, the party supremo was confident that he had met the aspirations of the community. “We are giving the Indian community new candidates. We are confident they will vote for these new representatives. “The people have said that they want to be represented by qualified persons and we are giving them people who will be able to look into their issues.”
Asked what would happen if the mix of new and old candidates did not go down well with voters, he said he would not resign “just because two or three persons lose”. “(Do) you want me to take responsibility and resign? I will be destroying my party… I won’t do that,” he said.
What they say:
Datuk Saravanan Murugan, 40, businessman, MIC information chief, Federal Territories chief and candidate for Tapah parliamentary seat: I was in the senate for six years, so parliament is not something entirely new to me. I have been working with the people here, so Tapah is just an extended scope in that sense. And Datuk S. Veerasingam has done a lot of good work here. And I am going to continue that.’ ‘
Murugesan Sinnandavar, 41, lawyer from Klang, central working committee member and candidate for Subang parliament seat: Subang is an urban constituency but with pockets of urban poor and working class people. I will now go to the ground and survey the needs of this diverse community. I am confident of delivering. I look at this as a responsibility and trust placed upon me by the party leadership and BN supporters.’ ‘
T. Mohan, 35, businessman from Puchong, central working committee member and candidate for Batu Caves state seat: Batu Caves is a ‘black’ area. Statistics show that while 45 per cent of the constituents support the Barisan Nasional, the rest are for the opposition. But I have confidence in winning the votes of people there. I have ways of doing it.’ ‘
Datuk Dr Vasan Sinnadurai, 44, just resigned as head of orthopaedic department, Taiping Hospital, MIC member and candidate for Pasir Panjang (Perak) state seat: I am happy to be given the mandate but am aware that this is not going to be an easy election. We have a long journey ahead. I must now get down to the ground and find out what the issues of the people are. Certain groups of Indians are upset and we must be able to do something about it.’ ‘
Krishnan Subramaniam, 46, secondary school senior assistant, Kedah MIC treasurer and candidate for Bukit Selambau (Kedah) state seat: I have dedicated the last 20-over years to the MIC. I joined as a member in 1983. And I’ve worked for Datuk V. Saravanan for 16 years. I was the Kedah MIC secretary until 2006 and am currently the treasurer. The voters there are familiar with me.’ ‘
Parthiban Karuppiah, 40, teacher, Tanjung Karang division secretary and candidate for the Bukit Melawati state seat: I have the same confidence of winning the seat I had for the Ijok by-election. It will not be a problem for me in Bukit Melawati because I live there. It is a medium-class society and I am well known there. And I know the issues here, mainly on the roads and drainage system. [ He forgot to mention the bungalow development on Bukit Melawati]
He said he had advised candidates to visit their constituencies four times a week after they win the elections. “I will also visit the constituency once a month with the elected representative, to find out the problems in the various districts in their area,” he said.
Samy Vellu expressed confidence that Indian voters would support MIC candidates and the Barisan Nasional in the election. “The people have begun to realise that they need a representative in the Government. They know those who have instigated them with all sorts of promises can’t represent them,” he said.
He said he was confident because of the 780,000 Indian electorate, 530,000 were members of MIC.
“We know our members well and we have to convince the other 250,000,” he said.
On Nijhar, Samy Vellu said he had served two terms in the Senate, was the parliamentary secretary at the Ministry of International Trade and Industry for two terms and an MP for two terms.
On the chances of MIC securing a 100% victory this time, he said it was possible if everyone worked hard. “We are working on three seats – Lunas in Kedah and Prai and Bagan Dalam in Penang – but the rest of the seats are no problem,” he said.