Pakatan Harapan candidate for Cameron Highlands, M. Manogaran, has filed an election petition to nullify the outcome of the election result for Cameron Highlands – alleging that eventual victor C Sivaraajh of MIC had bribed and threatened voters.

Manogaran lost Cameron Highlands by just 597 votes in the 14th General Election on May 9, 2018.

Cameron Highlands is the parliamentary constituency with the largest percentage of Orang Asli voters, constituting over 20 per cent of the electorate – even more than the number of Indian voters, although less than the Malay and Chinese voters.

Orang Aslis in Cameron Highlands are awaiting a by-election to demonstrate their political awakening like the Malay, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans and Ibans the historic and watershed 14th General Election on May 9, 2018 to demand for a New Malaysia of justice, integrity, freedom and democracy!

I am confident that Manogaran will have an excellent chance of being elected Member of Parliament for Cameron Highlands, as for the past two months, the Pakatan Harapan Government in Putrajaya has highlighted the enormity of deceit and crime by the UMNO/BN Government against the rights and interests of the ordinary Malaysians, not just in the global kleptocracy of the international 1MDB money-laundering scandal, but in mini-1MDB scandals whether affecting Felda, Mara, Tabung Haji, etc.

I received an education on corruption during my dialogue with the Orang Aslis in Pos Sinduret from 14 villages in Sinderut as well as Pos Manson as I first heard of “roti canai” roads, i.e. substandard roads because of poor workmanship and corruption as the new roads rapidly deteriorate as there was only a thin film of cement on top to hide the shoddy work.

I can give an undertaking that there no “roti canai” roads will be constructed in Orang Asli areas in Cameron Highliands, as we will report these forms of fraud and corruption to the Public Works Minister, Baru Bian and the the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission for action to be taken against the tricksters, and those guilty would be charged in court and pay the penalties for such corruption.

I am confident that Manogaran will perform better if there is a by-election in Cameron Highlands.

Manogaran secured 68 Orang Ali votes among the 14 Orang Asli villages in Sinderut in the 2013 General Elections, which increased to 268 votes in the 14th GE. Let us work to increase the Orang Asli vote for Manogaran in Sinderut to 668 or 768 votes if there is a by-election, as this would go a long way to turnaround Manogaran’s 597-vote defeat in the 14GE to victory.

(Speech by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang at a gathering of Orang Aslis at Pos Sinderut, Cameron Highlands on Wednesday, July 11, 2018 at 4 pm)

After six decades of nation-building, it is time that the Orang Aslis cease to be a forgotten community in Malaysia. What they need are proper roads, water and electricity, schools and easy access to medical care, housing as well as decent jobs and protection of their customary land rights.

It is time that Orang Aslis cease to be “fixed deposits” for UMNO/Barisan Nasional in every general election and for them to stand up like the Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans and Ibans have done in the 14th General Election, to demand a New Malaysia of Justice, Integrity, Freedom and Democracy in any by-election in Cameron Highlands.