PAKTAN Harapan might allow candidates from strategically aligned groups, such as Hindraf, to contest under its banner in the 14th general election, the opposition pact’s chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad said.

He said Hindraf and another ethnic Indian party, the Minority Rights Action Party (Mira), were not PH component members but have been made associate allies because they were supportive of the coalition.

“These parties are interested in working together with PH and they  support us. So we need to find a place for them and consider their position,” Dr Mahathir told a press conference at the office of the Opposition Leader in Parliament today.

The two Indian parties have yet to decide if they will field candidates in the election. PH has completed parliamentary seat allocations to its four member parties Bersatu, PKR, DAP, and Amanah.

Hindraf was incepted in 2007 as a non-governmental organisation to fight for the rights of Malaysian Indians, while Mira is the rebranding of the former Parti Generasi Baru headed by pro-opposition activist A.P. Rajaretinam.

Of late, Hindraf and Mira representatives have begun attending several PH programmes targeted at the Indian community in Penang, Kedah, Selangor and Negri Sembilan. Indians comprise more than 10% of voters in these states, which cover nearly 60 parliamentary seats. According to electoral data from the 13th general election, some of these seats are Merbok with 18% voters and Padang Serai (23%), both in Kedah; Bagan (15%) and Batu Kawan (23%) in Penang; Bagan Datoh (23%) in Perak; and Telok Kemang (24%) in Negri Sembilan.

Dr Mahathir said the support of Indian-based groups would give PH an electoral advantage.

“The perception people have of us is that we are mainly Malay and Chinese parties. Yet, among us are many Indians who are elected representatives.

“More than even MIC even though we (PH) don’t have an ethnic Indian party,” the former prime minister said, referring to the ruling Barisan Nasional’s leading Indian party.

In the Dewan Rakyat, PH parties DAP, PKR and non-member ally, Parti Sosialis Malaysia, have 10 Indian MPs. BN has three, all of whom are from MIC. – March 6, 2018.