IT’S time for the Indian community in Kuala Lumpur to have a representative in Parliament and it does not matter which party he or she is from, as long as they can serve the people, said Loga Bala Mohan.

The MyPPP vice president said Indians should choose a candidate who will take care of them and their interests, not just in the capital but nationwide.

“Even if that person comes from BN and gives temporary promises don’t accept him. Likewise it is the same for the opposition.

“They must demand for better choices and only then the parties will be forced to select candidates who can do the job,” the deputy federal territories minister told The Malaysian Insight in an interview.

The two-term senator is being touted a candidate for the Batu parliamentary seat in Kuala Lumpur.

He said the decision on whether he is chosen to contest lies with Prime Minister Najib Razak and MyPPP president M. Kayveas.

“I can’t say anything because it their prerogative. Both of them have not spoken to me about anything.

“For now, I don’t haven’t a seat. We (MyPPP) don’t have any particular seat given to us, unlike what all the other parties have. 

“But, if given the opportunity, I will take the chance to serve the people,” he said.

The Malaysian Insight had reported that Gerakan is likely to give up Batu to MyPPP in a swap involving the Kepong seat, said a MyPPP source.

The source had said Gerakan has lost in Batu in the past two elections and it’s reasonable for them to give it up. 

The source said either Kayveas or Loga Bala Mohan would be fielded in Batu, which was a Barisan Nasional bastion before the 2008 political tsunami.

That year, PKR’s Chua Tian Chang, popularly known as Tian Chua, defeated former Gerakan president Lim Keng Yaik’s son, Lim Si Pin, with a majority of 9,455 votes. Tian Chua has held the seat since then.

Currently there are no Indian MPs in Kuala Lumpur. Devaki, 93, was the first woman in the country who stood for the first Kuala Lumpur municipal election in the Bangsar constituency in 1952 and won. In 1955, she stood for a second term and won again.

After the election, Devaki joined MIC. She contested the Sentul constituency in the 1959 state election under the Alliance ticket but lost.

The Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur consists of 11 parliamentary constituencies.

DAP holds five seats in Bukit Bintang, Cheras, Seputeh, Segambut, and Kepong, while PKR has three seats – Lembah Pantai, Wangsa Maju and Batu.

The Bandar Tun Razak seat is held by Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, who contested under the PKR ticket in 2013, but turned independent after 2014’s Kajang Move that ousted him as Selangor menteri besar.

The other two seats under Umno are Setiawangsa and Titiwangsa.

Parliament automatically dissolves on June 24 but the general election must be held by August.

Many expect Najib will dissolve Parliament after the March 5 Parliament sitting ending April 5.

Security for Indians

Loga said he doesn’t see how the opposition in the capital could offer a better deal to Indians.

“However, Najib has shown concern for the Indian community with the Malaysian Indian Blueprint and other programmes. That’s sincerity.”

“If the Indians think the candidate from any of the BN parties can’t serve their interests then don’t give them the votes. – March 1, 2018.