PAKATAN Harapan picked DR S. Streram to be the Rantau by-election candidate because he was unfairly denied the opportunity to contest in last year’s polls, said Anwar Ibrahim.

The PKR president said Streram prevented filing his nomination.

“His rights were denied, he was mistreated,” said Anwar. 

In May last year, the returning officer had barred Dr Streram from entering the nomination centre because the would-be Rantau candidate did not have an entry pass. The result was a walkover for Barisan Nasional candidate Mohamad Hasan. The court subsequently nullified the win, causing fresh elections to be called.

Anwar said Streram’s humanitarian work as a doctor also factored in the decision. As an anaesthetist, Streram had been on humanitarian missions to Afghanistan and Sudan. 

“Look at his track, he’s an Indian and a Hindu, but he went to these Muslim countries to help the Muslims in war-time without any hesitation,” he said today at Dr Streram’s meet-and-greet programme in Mambau, Negri Sembilan. 

Anwar told the 500 people who turned up that the Rantau candidate had risked his life to go help injured and dying Muslims in the conflict zones.

“How many people would risk their lives to go to war-torn countries to help? When he went to save the lives of the Muslims there, no one questioned that he was an Indian helping Muslims,” he said. 

Anwar said the PKR leadership had presented him with a list of candidates for Rantau but he did not have the heart to pick anyone else. 

“It was hard (to choose) as many on the list were party loyalists and good friends of mine. But I chose him because of his humanitarian heart,” he said.  

Malays who fear that they will be neglected if their representative is of another race may be assured by Streram’s track record, says Anwar.

“We want to stress that we will not forsake the Malays, and our candidate has to take care of everyone’s interests.”

Anwar said PH had also succesfully fielded Malays in traditionally Indian seats in Negri Sembilan, such as   Port Dickson, which he won last year.

“We want to maintain our principle of looking out for all races, and we have decided to maintain an Indian candidate for Rantau.”

Rantau has 20,926 voters, comprising 54% Malays, Chinese (19%) and Indians (27%). 

Polling day is on April 13, after nomination on March 30. Rantau is the seventh by-election since May 9. – March 17, 2019.