‘Indian votes will help BN in marginal seats’
KUALA LUMPUR: MIC believes that support from the Indian community has increased to the point that their votes will not only determine the results of MIC seats but also some being contested by other Barisan Nasional component parties.
Its president Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said this could help the coalition win in certain marginal seats.
Speaking to reporters after launching the party’s manifesto for the 14th General Election, Dr Subramaniam also said MIC was fully prepared for any challenges leading up to the May 9 polls, including sabotage by allies.
Asked about the possibility of sabotage due to the dispute over the Cameron Highlands seat, he said: “Cameron Highlands ... we have said it many times, our stand is that it should be given to us.”
On Tuesday, MyPPP said it may reconsider staying in Barisan after a meeting with coalition chairman Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
MyPPP president Tan Sri M. Kayveas said the party wanted the chance to contest the Cameron Highlands parliamentary seat, where it has been working for several years.
Kayveas said the party’s supreme council decided to unanimously stay with Barisan but may reconsider the decision after its final meeting
with Najib before seat allocations are finalised.
On the possibility of MyPPP leaving Barisan, Dr Subramaniam said he did not wish to interfere in the decisions of other coalition members.
“I hope whatever they do will be in line with the spirit of BN,” he said.
Dr Subramaniam also cited the results of a survey and findings from nationwide Jalinan Rakyat programmes held by Wanita MIC, which indicate that the party now has the support of 65% of Malaysian Indians.
The survey, he said, involved
some 800,000 people.
He said support varied, with some areas peaking at more than 80% and others only around 50%.
“This is a good sign. If we look at the support of the other communities, especially in Selangor or the Federal Territory, it appears that the support of Indians towards Barisan is the highest.
“This is a big achievement,” he said, adding that in the previous general election, Barisan only had the backing of approximately half the community.
Earlier, Dr Subramaniam outlined the four main thrusts in the
party’s manifesto: fulfilling the basic needs of the community such as housing; helping children realise their potential in terms of education; increasing social participation in terms of religious and cultural practices; and increasing the income and wealth of the community.
“These thrusts are part of the Malaysian Indian Blueprint, and there is a framework to implement the measures,” he said.