PAHANG DAP SURPRISED MIC NOT APPEALING
Nevertheless, party ready to face byelection, says state deputy chairman
ALTHOUGH surprised over MIC’s move to not appeal against the Election Court’s decision to declare the Cameron Highlands parliamentary seat vacant, Pahang DAP is all set for battle.
State DAP deputy chairman M. Manogaran said the party welcomed MIC’s challenge to let the people decide in a by-election instead of going to court.
“I am surprised that they chose not to appeal. I thought they will appeal and the process will require time.
“Instead, they want the people to decide and not the court. We in Pakatan Harapan are prepared for the challenge.
“However, it will be tough. There may be independent candidates, prompting a five-corner contest similar to the last election. Pas will most likely stay away and support the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate,” he said yesterday.
The Cameron Highlands seat, won by MIC’s Datuk C. Sivarraajh in the 14th General Election (GE14), was declared vacant by the Election Court on Nov 30, and MIC announced yesterday that the party would not appeal the decision.
Following Sivarraajh’s victory in May, DAP candidate Manogaran filed a petition to declare the constituency’s election result null and void.
Manogaran had accused Sivarraajh of violating the Election Offences Act 1954 by allegedly bribing Orang Asli voters.
Manogaran alleged that Sivarraajh, who campaigned alongside Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail, had paid Orang Asli constituents between RM30 and RM1,000 through Tok Batins (community chiefs) to ensure that they voted for BN.
Sivarraajh won the seat with 10,307 votes, Manogaran garnered 9,710 and Pas candidate Wan Mahadir Wan Mahmud polled 3,587 votes.
Parti Sosialis Malaysia’s B. Suresh Kumar got 680 while Berjasa candidate Mohd Tahir Kassim received 81 votes.
Manogaran said he hoped to be third time lucky and selected to contest the by-election, especially after losing the parliamentary seat in the last two general elections.
“I will be glad to be the candidate but let’s wait for the leadership to make an announcement,” he said.
State MIC chairman V. Arumugam said Pahang MIC were ready to roll out its election machinery and throw its support behind any candidate chosen by the party’s leadership.