Segamat folk fed up with party-hopping

Mohd Farhan Darwis Mohd Farhan Darwis Updated 5 years ago · Published on 8 Aug 2020 7:00AM · 12 Comments

Edmund R. Santhara Kumar, who won the Segamat parliamentary seat on a PKR ticket in the 2018 elections, has thrown his support behind Perikatan. He is deputy Federal Territories minister under the new administration. – Facebook pic, August 8, 2020.

VOTERS in Segamat, whose MP, Edmund R. Santhara Kumar, switched allegiance to Perikatan Nasional in February, have become disillusioned with the electoral process, saying the system is being abused by party-hopping politicians.

During The Malaysian Insight’s visit to the Johor constituency, residents said they felt cheated by the candidate they voted for in the 2018 general election.

“If you want to ‘jump’ in Malaysia, there might as well not be a need for political parties. Let all MPs contest as independent candidates,” said e-hailing driver Ibrahim Shah Bidin.

The 54-year-old was among the 55,350 registered voters in Segamat in the last elections.

Saiful Anwar Zahari, 30, said Santhara’s defection from Pakatan Harapan showed that he lacks integrity, adding that he believes the parliamentarian will not be able to defend the seat in the next polls.

“There is no self-identity. He just follows whichever party he feels is strong. When our leaders are morally compromised, we the people suffer the consequences.

“If he contests again, maybe, he will jump again. I don’t think he will contest again in Segamat.”

Santhara won the seat on a PKR ticket, but in late February, joined 10 other MPs from the party to form Perikatan Nasional with Barisan Nasional, PAS, Muhyiddin Yassin’s faction in Bersatu and Gabungan Parti Sarawak.

Segamat PKR grassroots leaders hold the same opinion as constituents.

“We brought him into Segamat, and for three years, we introduced Segamat voters to him because he isn’t a local. After he won, he did this,” said a leader who declined to be named.

“We are tired of answering questions from the local community (about Santhara’s defection). Now, he has no chance in Segamat. If he dares contest here again, we will bury him.”

The leader also accused Santhara of failing to carry out his responsibilities as MP.

“There have been no party programmes after he won in 2018. It was only three months after he won that he came down to the ground to visit. Right now, we’re conducting our own programmes on our own initiative and using our own funding.

“For all parliamentary activities, he just sends a representative. I myself have represented him many times at official government functions.

“He didn’t come down even when the menteri besar visited Segamat. He has offered no service to Segamat. He’s an elected representative only in name.”

Former PKR man Edmund R. Santhara Kumar says he is now a Bersatu member, having submitted forms to the party secretary-general earlier this week. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, August 8, 2020.

In the 2013 elections, Santhara stood as an independent in the Hulu Selangor parliamentary seat. He got just 999 votes, and lost to P. Kamalanathan of BN component MIC.

After joining PN, Santhara was appointed deputy Federal Territories minister.

The PKR grassroots leader interviewed said Santhara does not stand a chance of defending Segamat come the 15th general election.

“He won GE14 because of non-Malay votes. Why is he now working with PN, which has Umno?”

Even Segamat BN leaders do not think Santhara can win re-election.

Jementah Barat Umno Youth chief Khairul Shafiee Daud said despite Santhara now being part of PN, BN will want to claim the seat.

Segamat was traditionally held by MIC, with former president S. Subramaniam serving as its MP for three terms up to GE14.

“Whoever the BN candidate is, our machinery is ready to support him or her,” said Khairul Shafee.

“Santhara is only a temporary representative. He is not a BN representative.”

He hopes BN will not select candidates with a history of party-hopping for the next elections.

“These party-hoppers have no integrity. It would be good to have an anti-hopping act.”

Santhara, meanwhile, told The Malaysian Insight that he is a Bersatu member after submitting forms to secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin earlier this week.

“The Segamat parliamentary seat now belongs to Bersatu, and it is up to the president (Muhyiddin) to choose a candidate for the next general election.”

He insisted that he has done well for his constituents, saying he wants Segamat folk to remember him for the good service he has provided over the last two years. – August 8, 2020.

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Comments

  • Only segamat voters ? Common

    Posted 5 years ago by Zainuddin Yusoff · Reply

  • Salah satu usaha YB Dato Sri Dr Santhara :-

    Surat dari Unit Penyelarasan Pelaksanaan Jabatan Perdana Menteri kepada Kerajaan Negeri untuk Pengesahan Komitmen Kerajaan Negeri Dalam Pembinaan Masjid Lubok Batu, Jalan Muar, Segamat yang telah diusahakan oleh Ahli Parlimen Segamat, YB Dato' Sri Dr. Santhara.

    Pautan: Surat Memohon Pengesahan Tahun Lepas 2019
    https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1338380713019490&id=429353417255562

    Mesyuarat Bersama AJK Masjid
    https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=998038970387001&id=429353417255562

    YB DSDS Membawa Isu Masjid Sepinang dan Lubok Batu ke dalam Parlimen
    https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=999963936861171&id=429353417255562

    Permohonan YB DSDS kepada YB Menteri Agama
    https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=996021287255436&id=429353417255562

    https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1011328462391385&id=429353417255562

    Permohonan kepada ICU
    https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1030808527110045&id=429353417255562

    Pertemuan bersama YB Menteri Agama
    https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1139956496195247&id=429353417255562

    #MasjidLubokBatu

    Posted 5 years ago by Dinesh Waran · Reply

  • The only MP that has given an independent auditor to audit his ICU funds / office account together on his Funds given to ngo/schools/mPkk/Temple/church/mosque etc

    Laporan Prestasi Parlimen Segamat P140

    Download Laporan Penuh
    https://drive.google.com/file/d/14rgrAxsAAO6fkSVd5YfG3sl_FdDN2DR8/view?usp=drivesdk

    Posted 5 years ago by Dinesh Waran · Reply

    • Do click this link to see the full audit report MP Segamat for 2018-2019:-

      https://www.facebook.com/429353417255562/posts/1113254818865415/?d=n

      Posted 5 years ago by Dinesh Waran · Reply

  • YB Dato Sri Dr Santhara at his kawasan mostly every weekend to do his parliament duties after persidangan parlimen , utmost lies in the published news above as everyone can see. Do click the Facebook page link and see all the activities/ programs/ meeting etc done by Dato Sri :-

    https://www.facebook.com/429353417255562/posts/1387196088137952/?vh=e&d=n

    Posted 5 years ago by Dinesh Waran · Reply

  • Please do see the details below to find the truth about YB Dato Sri Dr Santhara work / contribution to his Constituency people in Segamat

    YB Dato' Sri Dr. Santhara membuat lawatan ke tapak Klinik Kesihatan Palong Timur yang kini dalam pembinaan.

    Untuk pengetahuan projek Klinik Kesihatan Jenis 5 Palong Timur ini sudah lama terbengkalai dan YB DSDS telah memperjuangkan untuk mendapatkan kelulusan dan peruntukan supaya klinik ini dapat direalisasikan untuk kemudahan kesihatan warga Felda Palong Timur.

    Pautan:

    Lawatan YB DSDS projek KK yg terbengkalai
    https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=877019672488932&id=429353417255562

    Perbahasan YB DSDS membawa isu KK Palong Timur ke Parlimen
    https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=931946613662904&id=429353417255562

    Pertanyaan YB DSDS kepada YB Menteri Kesihatan
    https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=923971831127049&id=429353417255562

    Muat Turun Kelulusan Peruntukan Rolling Plan:
    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1308fYHo09IrQggAdFDMITEMjP0cU_Sn-/view?usp=drivesdk

    https://www.facebook.com/429353417255562/posts/1385916258265935/?d=n

    Posted 5 years ago by Dinesh Waran · Reply

  • Mohd Farhan Darwis who had published False news and misled the readers regarding YB Dato Sri Dr Santhara, please know the facts before writing about MP Segamat or any other leaders

    Posted 5 years ago by Dinesh Waran · Reply

  • Tiada mesin ATM Di Felda Palong timur Selamat 20 Tahun :- https://www.facebook.com/429353417255562/posts/1385639941626900/?d=n

    YB Dato' Sri Dr. Santhara membuat lawatan ke tapak Mesin ATM yang bakal didirikan di D'mart Felda Palong Timur.

    Untuk pengetahuan, YB DSDS telah mengambil inisiatif untuk berbincang dan bekerjasama dengan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Bank Rakyat, Datuk Rosman Mohamed bagi merealisasikan impian Warga Felda untuk mempunyai khidmat mesin ATM.

    Peruntukan sebanyak RM17,000 juga telah disumbangkan oleh YB DSDS bagi pembinaan tapak mesin ATM tersebut.

    Posted 5 years ago by Dinesh Waran · Reply

  • Not only Santhara, all the turncoats will face the wrath of their voters. The voters will Not want to see their face in their constituency..Serve them right!

    Posted 5 years ago by Elyse Gim · Reply

  • The procedures for selecting candidates must be much tougher. These kind of self seeking people should not be proposed for elections.

    Posted 5 years ago by Malaysia New hope · Reply

  • Dinesh Waran ... your boss was treacherous. No integrity as far as Segamat voters are concerned. They did not vote for him. They voted for the party that he represented.

    Posted 5 years ago by NA Bayezid · Reply

  • He may have performed his duties as an MP but he still betrayed the very voters whom he pledged to serve by jumping ship and being a katak

    Posted 5 years ago by Susheela Nadarajah · Reply