PKR Indians switch to BN in Bkt Selambau

By Shannon Teoh- The Malaysian Insider

Kalaivanar, (second from right) leading his PKR dissenters into the press conference. - Pictures by Shannon Teoh

SUNGAI PETANI, March 30 – Nearly 400 Indian PKR members have switched support to Barisan Nasional in protest over the choice of the party's candidate to retain the Bukit Selambau state seat.

A record 15 candidates, including PKR's S. Manikumar, are in the race on April 7 which also carries a state exco post for the winner unless he is from the opposition Barisan Nasional.

Jerai PKR chief B. Kalaivanar said today he dissolved the division, adding he and 356 other members "will not support the PKR candidate or any of the Independents."

"We have lost faith in PKR especially in Anwar," he told reporters this morning, referring to de facto PKR leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Flanked by some 30 members, he claimed that PKR had deceived the Indian community by making false promises.

In an immediate response, PKR information chif Tian Chua said that he was not disappointed by Kalaivanar's move.

"PKR fights for multiracial reforms. If Kalaivanar is not willing to continue this struggle, then he is acting in his own self-interest and we are not disappointed by his leaving."

Kalaivanar also claimed there had been abuses of power by the Pakatan Rakyat state government as well as PKR Kedah, who have not held state-level elections since he joined in 2004.

No more true blue, for this trooper. A Jerai division leader takes off his PKR uniform to register his protest with the party. A slew of leaders and supporters have shown open dissent to the party's candidate for the Bukit Selambau by-election, S. Manikumar

"We have fought to the end behind him but now he has no respect for us. They manipulate the Indians to give them votes but then they do not do the work," the local Indian community strongman said.

"I hate this talk," he said of Anwar's use of the term "Makkal Sakthi", Tamil for "People's Power", during his ceramahs and said that he would continue a campaign via two NGOs that he leads and not join any party.

"We will campaign for true and transparent democracy," he said of his plans for the next seven days in Bukit Selambau.

He also accused PKR of playing up racial sentiments by saying one thing to Indians, another to the Chinese and yet another to the Malays, simply to gain support.

Overall, he said, it showed that the party had no right to criticise BN as it behaved in the same way.

While he admitted that he would like to be an elected representative for PKR, he claimed that the move had nothing to do with Manikumar's candidacy as he does "not really know him."

He said that he had already sent letters yesterday to the registrar of societies and PKR president and secretary-general, informing them of the decision to disband the Jerai division and Kedah PKR's Indian Community Development Committee, which he chairs.

He also claimed that other divisions will follow but refused to name them.