KUALA KUBU BAHARU – Indian voters in Kuala Kubu Baharu have taken issue with former Penang deputy chief minister II P. Ramasamy’s advice for them to vote against Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the by-election this Saturday.
Last month, media outlets reported that the former DAP member urged Indian voters in Kuala Kubu Baharu not to cast their ballots for DAP candidate Pang Sock Tao, citing dissatisfaction with the Madani government’s treatment of the Indian community.
In response, Deepa Balakrishnan, a 40-year-old textile shop owner in Kuala Kubu Baharu town, emphasised that voting was an individual right and criticised the notion of telling the electorate who they should vote for.
Deepa also pointed out that abstaining from voting PH, as suggested by Ramasamy, could adversely affect Indians who were reliant on government financial assistance.
“The right to vote is an individual’s decision. No one has the right to tell people not to vote (PH). I feel that this is wrong.
“Although I don’t get government welfare assistance, there are some people who benefit from that, so I don’t want them to be affected by not voting (PH),” she said.
Echoing similar sentiments, Jude Thaddaeus, another local resident, dismissed Ramasamy’s statement, highlighting the minority status of the Indian community and the inevitability of other communities casting their votes.
“If he (Ramasamy) says something like that, who is going to benefit from it? We Indians are still minorities.
“If the Indians don’t vote (PH), wouldn’t the votes of other communities (still) be counted? No one is going to benefit from that,” he said.
He emphasised the pressing issues faced by local Indians, such as unemployment and low-income levels, urging both the public and politicians to prioritise addressing these concerns.
Indians form about 18% of voters in the state seat. Malays make up a large segment of the electorate at nearly 50%, while Chinese form around 30%, with the rest being from other communities, including the Orang Asli.
Meanwhile, 68-year-old grocery shop owner Devadass Nagalinggam urged the public not to blindly heed politicians’ statements and emphasised the importance of exercising one’s right to vote.
“What Ramasamy says (not to vote PH) is his freedom of speech, but at the same time, casting a vote is the people’s right,” Devadass said.
“People should think wisely and decide for themselves by not taking the politicians’ words (seriously).”
The Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election on Saturday will witness a four-cornered contest between PH-DAP’s Pang, Khairul Azhari Saut (Perikatan Nasional), Hafizah Zainudin (Parti Rakyat Malaysia) and Nyau Ke Xin (independent).
Lee Kee Hiong had held the seat for DAP since winning it in 2013 until her death in March due to ovarian cancer, which prompted the by-election. – May 7, 2024
***This article has been revised for clarity