KNOWN for his strident stand on Malay rights and supremacy, Lokman Noor Adam today took a different tune by pledging to fight for the rights of Indians should he win the Sungai Kandis by-election.
The Barisan Nasional candidate, formerly a staunch supporter of Anwar Ibrahim, even went as far as saying that he would take to the streets if the Selangor Pakatan Harapan (PH) government failed to take care of the state’s Indian community.
“I promise you, if I win in this by-election, you will have a strong and fierce assemblyman in the Selangor assembly.
Lokman, a former ISA detainee, then told the audience that fallen prime minister Najib Razak had done a better job in taking care of the Indians than Dr Mahathir Mohamad had done in his 22 years as Malaysia’s fourth prime minister.
He added that even now, Dr Mahathir, who had been re-appointed as the country’s seventh prime minister, had yet to assure a better future for the Indians.
“Najib was the first ever prime minister to introduce the ‘Malaysian Indian blueprint’. He cared for the Indian community as well as taking care of the Malays, Chinese, Sikh and east Malaysians.”
“What did Dr Mahathir do for the Indians for 22 years? He even dared to call the Indians ‘keling’ way before he became the prime minister,” Lokman said.
Meanwhile, when met at the event, a number of Indian voters believed that BN has a better chance to win following a series of flip-flops from PH ministers.
Many argued that in almost 100 days of governance, the Dr Mahathir-led administration has failed to fulfill its core promises.
“I think BN can win this time. I feel that not only the Indians are unhappy but the Malays are too.
“The promises have yet to be fulfilled and their pledges to abolish toll and to lower the price of fuel is still unsolved. Many are not happy with the current situation. Although there won’t be a change of government but the signal is there,” said 38-year-old local man James Maniam.
Maniam’s sentiment was shared by 45-year-old S. Sri Kamla, who acknowledged the contribution made by former Umno president Najib for the Indians when he was in power.
“Najib gave us BR1M and the amount increased every year. He did something for the people but the new government, I don’t see anything for us.
“The Indians were in a better position with Najib as the leader. With PH, there is nothing but empty promises,” the housewife told The Malaysian Insight.
Another local man, G. Tamilselvam rejected the idea that Umno is a racist political party, saying that the Malays and Indians in Sungai Kandis have a very close relationship.
“I have lived here since I was born and the Indians and the Malays here do not have anything to fight about. Umno has been in power for many years and for that period of time, there is nothing for us to complain about,” he said.
The Sungai Kandis by-election is being held following the death of incumbent Mat Shuhaimi Shafiei from lymphoma on July 2.
It is a three-cornered fight between Mohd Zawawi Ahmad Mughni of PKR, Lokman and Independent candidate K Murthy. Polling is on August 4.
In GE14, Mat Shuhaimi got more votes than the Umno and PAS candidates combined.
He won the seat by garnering 23,998 votes, defeating Umno’s Kamaruzzaman Johari (11,518 votes), PAS’ Mohd Yusof Abdullah (7,573 votes) and Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM)‘s Hanafiah Husin (76 votes). – July 29, 2018.
History, propaganda are no bedfellows
Penang Institute wants to draw locals back to lit fest
Honouring the spirit of Malaysia 1963
Umno bukan lagi pemain politik negara, kata penganalisis
Comments
Posted 7 years ago by Xuz ZG · Reply
Posted 7 years ago by Simple Sulaiman · Reply
Posted 7 years ago by Will Be Humble · Reply
Posted 7 years ago by Rupert Lum · Reply
Sick umno
Posted 7 years ago by Tai Lee Leng · Reply
Posted 7 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply
Posted 7 years ago by Ju bur · Reply
Posted 7 years ago by Lawrence Chew · Reply