INDIAN voters in Kuala Kubu Baharu must not listen to calls to boycott the May 11 by-election, Urimai chairman P. Ramasamy said today.

“We don’t believe in asking the voters to refrain from exercising their democratic rights. However we will ask the voters, especially Indians, not to vote for the Pakatan Harapan/DAP candidate,” he said in a statement.

The former DAP leader said this does not mean that his party has ties with Perikatan Nasional, which looks likely to be represented by Gerakan in the by-election.

“We just want to teach a painful lesson to the PH-led government. The multiracialism of the government in general and in DAP and PKR is fake,” he said,

“The Indian community has been taken for a long (ride) without any beneficial outcome.

“There is a great deal of dissatisfaction and mounting frustration among the Indians,” added the former Penang deputy chief minister

Indians make about 18% of the KKB electorate, making them the “kingmakers” in the by-election.

Malay voters make up 46%, Chinese (31), and others (5).

The KKB seat fell vacant following the death of its DAP incumbent Lee Kee Hiong on March 21.

Activists have called for Indian voters in KKB to boycott the polls to send a message to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim that the community is not happy with his government.

The activists, some of whom had campaigned for PH in the last general and six state elections, said the government has ignored the plight of the Indians.

Thiru Nadaraja of the Malaysian Advancement Party said KKB Indian must shun the by-election to show that they have had enough of “begging” and “being blackmailed for votes”.

Pertubuhan Rapat Aman Malaysia president A Rajaretinam said Indian voters in KKB should cast spoilt votes in protest.

“DAP needs to be defeated. Indian voters must give a ‘gift’ to DAP,” he said.

“This is just a by-election for a state seat. DAP’s defeat will not change the (political) equation in the state. This is just a strong message from the Indian community,” he was reported as saying.

Selangor exco V Papparaidu told Malaysiakini of an attempt to persuade Indian voters to boycott the by-election.

“This is wrong and goes against the Federal Constitution,” he had said.

DAP is set to name a candidate for KKB to represent PH. Barisan Nasional will sit out the event as an ally of the unity government.

BN component parties MCA and MIC have indicated that they will not support the DAP campaign. MCA is thinking about trying to regain its stronghold as an independent. – April 19, 2024.