MIC Deputy President Datuk G. Palanivel is confident that the Indians will continue to vote for Barisan Nasional because of the hard work put in by the MIC.
“The Indians are loyal to Barisan. They know we have served our constituencies and cultivated the relationship with the people.”
Palanivel was clearly “whistling in the dark” (i.e. keeping the courage up) when the MIC leaders are facing the greatest crisis of confidence and credibility in its party history.
In the past 50 years, the Indian voters were taken for granted by the Barisan Nasional as the unquestioned vote-bank, but there is now a sea-change in the political attitudes of the Malaysian Indians as a result of their political awakening caused by the high-handed and arbitrary disregard of their basic feelings and fundamental rights in their cry of desperation for government attention and action to end their long-standing marginalization as the new underclass in Malaysia.
Nanyang Siang Pau reported that the next general election will be held in the next 100 days. I believe that the polls will be held in the next 80 days or it will be held much later.
A date which had been bruited as given by the Prime Minister’s Feng Shui maestro is March 15, 2008.
I believe if the polling date is not held by the middle of March, we are looking earliest at mid-year or after.
This is because the next Parliamentary meeting is scheduled to begin on March 17, which will be officially opened by the Yang di Pertuan Agong for a 23-day meeting for the Dewan Rakyat till April 23, 2008 to be followed by the Senate meeting.
It would be ridiculous and highly contemptuous of Parliament and the Yang di Pertuan Agong to dissolve Parliament when it has just been officially opened as there would be no national emergency, like a loss of confidence by the government-of-the-day, to justify such an action.
Either the next general election is held within the next 80 days without the next parliamentary meeting or it will be held in mid-year or the third quarter.
The next general election will be most unprecedented as the Indian voters will be playing the most decisive role in 12 general elections in 50 years.
From the latest data, there are 50 parliamentary and 133 state assembly constituencies where Indian voters comprise more than 10% of the electorate and 21 parliamentary and 133 state assembly seats in Peninsular Malaysia where the Indian voters constitute more than 15% of the electorate.
The 133 state assembly states in Peninsular Malaysia with Indian voters comprising more than 10% of the electorate are:
Perlis (2) % of Indian voters in constituency
Tambun Tulang 11.21 Chuping 10.60
Kedah (10)
Bukit Selambau 27.39 Lunas 23.64 Sidam 19.62 Merbau Pulas 19.55 Gurun 17.26 Kulim 14.68 Bakar Arang 12.28 Pedu 11.51 Sungai Tiang 11.47 Kuala Ketil 11.45
Penang (11)
Perai 34.77 Bagan Dalam 21.01 Jawi 19.93 Bukit Tengah 17.53 Bukit Tambun 15.80 Sungai Bakap 14.10 Kebun Bunga 13.15 Bagan Jermal 12.97 Batu Uban 11.48 Seberang Jaya 11.07 Tanjong Bunga 10.22
Perak (27)
Buntong 44.30 Hutang Melintang 30.39 Jalong 26.11 Changkat Jong 26.04 Chenderiang 24.95 Sungkai 19.76 Jelapang 18.60 Behrang 18.15 Lintang 18.11 Pasir Panjang 17.78 Alor Pongsu 16.89 Aulong 15.84 Pantai Remis 15.22 Ayer Kuning 14.98 Hulu Kinta 14.84 Slim 13.82 Pengkalan Hulu 13.69 Pasir Bedamar 13.39 Teja 13.38 Trong 13.30 Kamunting 13.28 Tualang Sekar 12.37 Kepayang 12.03 Pengkalan Baharu 11.18 Tronoh 11.00 Rungkup 10.80 Pokok Assam 10.05
Pahang (8)
Tanah Rata 26.67 Sabai 20.01 Lancang 17.19 Jelai 16.29 Jenderak 11.65 Bebar 11.33 Benta 11.13 Tras 10.19
Selangor (37)
Bukit Melawati 30.19 Seri Andalas 29.94 Seri Setia 27.92 Ijok 27.08 Sementa 21.83 Kuala Kubu Baharu 21.66 Permatang 21.64 Kota Alam Shah 21.59 Teluk Datuk 21.54 Batu Caves 21.42 Sri Muda 20.86 Rawang 20.74 Sungai Pelek 20.67 Batang Kali 19.61 Dengkil 17.85 Kuang 17.84 Sijangkang 17.63 Batu Tiga 15.93 Pelabuhan Klang 15.90 Morib 15.72 Bukit Lanjan 15.63 Taman Medan 15.57 Hulu Bernam 15.45 Semenyih 15.26 Pandamaran 15.17 Seri Serdang 15.02 Tanjong Sepat 14.79 Kota Damansara 14.01 Kota Anggerik 13.51 Kinrara 12.71 Bangi 12.25 Paya Jaras 12.20 Lembah Jaya 11.56 Meru 11.30 Jeram 10.93 Taman Templer 10.93 Bukit Gasing 10.82
Negri Sembilan (19)
Jeram Padang 38.55 Port Dickson 27.45 Bagan Pinang 24.43 Rantau 23.26 Linggi 20.97 Chuah 20.79 Rahang 20.38 Bukit Kepayang 19.84 Mambau 19.51 Nilai 19.23 Lukut 19.09 Labu 17.89 Senawang 17.76 Repah 17.47 Paroi 17.34 Lobak 14.65 Gemencheh 12.46 Sungai Lui 11.00 Chembong 10.89
Melaka (7)
Rim 15.44 Merlimau 14.10 Machap 14.00 Bemban 13.48 Rembia 13.15 Asahan 11.42 Gadek 10.82
Johor (12)
Bekok 16.95 Paloh 16.88 Permas 15.59 Layang-Layang 15.53 Tiram 14.01 Buloh Kasap 13.75 Mengkibol 12.46 Tenang 11.60 Puteri Wangsa 11.07 Skudai 10.88 Nusa Jaya 10.86 Bukit Permai 10.43
Lim Kit Siang