KUALA LUMPUR – MIC deputy president Datuk Seri M. Saravanan has prioritised the public’s needs over party politics amid what he perceives as neglect from the unity government towards MIC and MCA.
Addressing a campaign ceramah in Kuala Kubu Baharu last Thursday, Saravanan highlighted Pakatan Harapan (PH) as a viable option for Indian voters, citing its governance in Selangor and at the federal level.
However, he refrained from endorsing any specific candidate, emphasising voters’ right to choose while urging them to weigh their decisions wisely.
“It’s your choice whom you vote for. I won’t dictate ‘vote for this person, that person’. It’s your right, but remember to think wisely before casting your vote,” he said.
Saravanan, a former human resources minister, lamented the perceived neglect of MIC and MCA by Barisan Nasional (BN) following its support for making Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim prime minister within the unity government.
He urged the parties to prioritise addressing local issues rather than fixating on their political positions within the coalition.
“After granting them political power, they neglected MIC and MCA. We shouldn’t focus on positions now, there are pressing issues in Kuala Kubu Baharu,” he said.
Referring to the difficulties faced during the tenure of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak when the federal government was under BN and Selangor was governed by PKR, he suggested there was an advantage in having both entities aligned within the same coalition.
“For example, (after) 2010, when MIC’s P. Kamalanathan won (the Hulu Selangor parliamentary seat), he was under the federal government (as deputy education minister) and PKR was leading the (Selangor) state government.
“There were a lot of disagreements among them, and due to that, many plans were not accomplished,” he noted.
To this end, he said supporting Perikatan National (PN) in this by-election would not result in any significant changes there at this time, as the state government was currently led by PH.
The Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election on Saturday will see a four-cornered fight between Pang Sock Tao (PH), Khairul Azhari Saut (PN), Hafizah Zainudin (Parti Rakyat Malaysia) and Nyau Ke Xin (independent).
Lee Kee Hiong had retained the seat for DAP since winning it in 2013, until her death in March due to cancer. – May 6, 2024