MIC will mobilise its nearly 3,000-member machinery to support the Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate Suhaizan Kaiat in the Pulai by-election on September 9. 

MIC vice-president M. Asojan said there are 20,508 or 12.31% of Indian voters in the Pulai parliamentary constituency, which can be significant in helping Suhaizan to win. 

He, however, admitted that Indian voters would not be the determinant or kingmaker in the by-election if Malay and Chinese votes were split. 

“We cannot openly declare ourselves as the kingmaker because this is a by-election, and the result will depend on the percentage of voter turnout. Any race, if their voter turnout is low, will affect the outcome. 

“However, the number of Indian voters is significant, and we must strive to ensure at least 50% of them turn out to vote on September 9,” he told reporters tonight.  

On the support shown by the Indian community to Suhaizan, Asojan said he is confident that the PH candidate would receive solid backing following Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s commitment to help address the community’s problems, including its poverty, within a year. 

“There is definitely some dissatisfaction over certain matters, including recent issues… raising doubts and scepticism among the MIC machinery. But MIC president Tan Sri S. A. Vigneswaran has provided clarification so that we will continue to support the unity government. 

“This is due to the promise made by the prime minister himself (to the Indian community) that he will make sure all Indian community-related problems and matters are taken care of in a one-year period, so we trust him,” he said. 

On August 2, Anwar reportedly said he would study MIC’s request for its party representatives to be given a bigger role in the government. – Bernama, August 31, 2023.