GE13: Selangor’s Seri Andalas may see 6-cornered fight

(fz.com) – The state seat of Seri Andalas may see a six-cornered fight in the May 5 polls.

 

Incumbent Seri Andalas assemblyman Dr A Xavier Jayakumar said the seat will see not just candidates from MIC and Hindraf, but Parti Kesejahteraan Insan Tanah Air (Kita), Barisan Jemaah Islamiah Se Malaysia (Berjasa) and even an independent are also apparently eager to join in the fray.

 

Although Jayakumar, who is also PKR Kota Raja division chief, is unperturbed by the amount of competition he faces, he said his main opponent is MIC Youth leader T Mohan.

 

“Huge resources are being poured into these areas by MIC to get this seat back,” he told fz.com.

 

Jayakumar had defeated MIC’s A Kamala Ganapathy in the 2008 general election, receiving 20,258 ballots against Kamala’s 10,005 votes.

 

“They’ve been conducting lucky draws during their ceramah,” he said, adding MIC has been dishing out all sorts of goodies, including motorcycles, to residents during its programmes.

 

However, he said there is a lot of internal politics within MIC which may affect the party’s campaign.

 

MIC Kota Raja division chief R S Maniam is said to have been campaigning for a long time in the area, hoping to be selected by the party leadership for Seri Andalas or the Kota Raja parliamentary seat.

 

However, he was not chosen to contest in both constituencies.

 

The selection of outsiders – Mohan and MIC secretary-general Datuk S Murugesan – to contest in Seri Andalas and Kota Raja respectively has caused discord within the local MIC community.

 

Mohan and Murugesan would probably have to rely on their own resources to build rapport among locals through the Umno and MCA machinery, which is weak in the area.

 

Asked about the threat posed by Hindraf de facto leader P Uthayakumar, Jayakumar said he did not see the controversial Indian rights movement leader as one.