AN Indian group is urging Perikatan Nasional (PN) to name an Indian candidate for the coming Kuala Kubu Baru (KKB) by-election.

Urimai’s interim council chairman P Ramasamy said Indian voters are set to be the kingmakers in the state constituency, and as such PN should take advantage of this situation.

KKB is set to see a by-election following the death of its assemblyperson Lee Kee Hiong on March 21.

The 58-year-old Lee, from DAP, had been suffering from ovarian cancer since 2020, and was serving her third term as KKB rep, having successfully retained the seat during the Selangor state election, last year.

KKB has traditionally been won by Chinese candidates. MCA/Barisan Nasional’s stronghold in this state seat was beaten by DAP in 2013 through Lee.

In the state elections last year, Lee faced a four-cornered fight with her the toughest challenge coming from Gerakan/PN’s Teoh Kien Hong. Lee won by a majority of 4,009 votes.

The constituency consists of 43% Malay voters, 33% Chinese voters, 18% Indians and about 5% Orang Asli.

No date has been fixed for the by-election.

“I think PN should name an Indian candidate this time around. There is a strong chance of doing better than last year, especially if DAP makes a wrong choice with their candidate,” Ramasamy told The Malaysian Insight.

He added that he has heard that DAP would field a Malay or Sikh candidate, which he said would not be a wise move.

“I doubt the Malays who are mainly supporters of the PN will be swayed by the DAP’s electoral tactics.

“Fielding of a Sikh candidate might be an affront to the Indian population, mostly former Tamil estate workers.

“As it is, the Indian support for PH is on the wane. In the last state elections, about 25% of Indians drifted away from supporting the PH. It is not sure to what extent the support went to PN.

“Some active Indians or influencers are already members of Bersatu,” he added.

He also said that local Indian voters in Kuala Kubu Baru were angry with the way the unity government was dealing with the community.

“The Indians I talked to are furious that there are not even rumours from the DAP of fielding an Indian Tamil candidate.

“Even though Indians make-up 18 percent of the voting population in Kuala Kubu Baru, the need to appoint an Indian candidate has not entered into the minds of the DAP leaders.

“It is a foregone conclusion among certain segments of the Indian population in Kuala Kubu Baru that the DAP that often talks of multi-racialism has no respect for Indians in the country.

“Indians are no push-over in this constituency as they constitute a sizable segment percent of the voters.

“They might even be labelled as kingmakers given their strategic role in determining the winner or loser in the by-elections. The DAP can ignore the Indians at its own peril,” said the former DAP leader. – April 1, 2024.