It’s best that politicians learn that they need to champion the interests of all Malaysians regardless of race.
PKR Member of Parliament Datuk Ramanan Ramakrishnan does not mince his words. He is blunt and assertive, which sometimes means that even his party colleagues find it difficult to deal with him.
The Sungai Buloh lawmaker gets passionate when he starts talking about the status of the Indian community, which he described as “marginalised for too long”.
He is upset that some politicians suddenly have a newfound “love” for Indian voters and just as suddenly, “it is time we fix their problems”.
Datuk Ramanan Ramakrishnan
As head of the Malaysian Indian Community Transformation Unit (Mitra), Ramanan has been given the task of drawing up programmes to help the community.
“This unity government is eight months old, and we have plenty to do. I must convince Indian voters that even though this may be a state election, we still need a clear endorsement,” he said.
Ramanan has been busy setting up interviews with various media over the past few weeks to push the message across.
As the fight between Pakatan Harapan and Perikatan Nasional becomes more intense ahead of the election in six states, Indian votes have become crucial. Some analysts have even described them as the kingmakers.
Indians make up about 10% of voters in about 66% of the seats in Selangor, 56% of the seats in Negri Sembilan, 55% in Penang and 22% in Kedah.
Political scientist Bridget Welsh wrote that the overall share of Indian voters is 15% in Selangor, 14% in Negri Sembilan, 11% in Penang and 7% in Kedah.
In Kota Raja, Selangor, Indians make up 40% of the electorate; Perai in Penang has 35% while Jeram Padang, Negri Sembilan, has 34%.
Unlike Chinese voters, who are certain to overwhelmingly support Pakatan, especially the DAP, the jury is still open as far as Indian votes are concerned.
Welsh wrote that in four of the states – Kedah, Negri Sembilan, Penang and Selangor – Indian voters will influence not only who wins certain seats, “but shape who will hold power and by what majority”.
At a meeting with senior editors and reporters at the Concorde Club, Bersatu leader Datuk Seri Azmin Ali said Perikatan is pushing hard to get Indian votes.
Indeed, Welsh said unlike Chinese voters, “PAS/Perikatan has won over a small share of Indian support”.
“Their gains have been most effective among more economically vulnerable Indian voters,” she wrote, adding that in Penang, for example, Perikatan won about 8% of Indian votes followed by Kedah at 6% during the general election last year.
She said Indians were looking to see how their concerns were being addressed, with sentiments ranging from hope to disappointment.
“From the election fieldwork to date, many Indians express the view that they are being ignored. Among the vulnerable Indians (like the rest of Malaysians), rising costs are their main concern,” she added.
Meanwhile, Ramanan said three initiatives for the B40 Indian community will be rolled out this year under Mitra, which include initiatives that would focus on education, the economy, job training, as well as welfare and social well-being.
He added that 10,000 students from the B40 group at public universities would receive benefits under the Bachelor’s degree university assistance subsidy programme, which would cost an estimated RM20mil.
“The purpose of this programme is to ease the financial burden of parents whose children are in second, third or final year at public universities. Each student will receive a one-off subsidy of RM2,000.
“In collaboration with Bank Simpanan Nasional, the funds will be distributed before the semester begins.”
Ramanan said the second initiative would see RM10.8mil set aside for private Tamil kindergartens registered with the Education Ministry.
“Each child will get a monthly subsidy of RM200, which will cover kindergarten fees and breakfast for one year.
“This programme, targeting 4,500 recipients, is aimed at reducing early education dropouts and to deal with literacy and numeracy problems among children,” he said.
Ramanan also announced that a RM8.64mil health initiative, aimed at helping some 900 chronic kidney patients, would be implemented.
Each patient would get a RM200 subsidy per dialysis session and applications would be open from now until Aug 30, he added.
But not to be outdone, Perikatan has launched a campaign to boost support from Indians, led by MIC supreme council member K.R. Parthiban.
The MIC activists who make up the secretariat are focusing on Tanjung Karang, Kuala Selangor, Sabak Bernam, Sungai Besar and Hulu Selangor.
Even Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has announced that he wanted Tamil to be taught as an additional language in schools, adding that he would speak to Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek on the matter.
It looks like the politicians have woken up to the fact that Indian votes matter. But in a tight race, all votes matter and it is best that politicians learn that they need to champion the interests of all Malaysians regardless of their race.
No party can hope to form the next federal government without the backing of Sabah and Sarawak, and they are Malaysians, too.
