INDIAN-based party United for the Rights of Malaysians (Urimai) is mulling contesting the Sg Bakap by-election, according to M. Satees.
The party’s pro-tem secretary-general said that it will convene a meeting soon to determine if it will contest or stay out, as it did in the recent Kuala Kubu Baharu (KKB) by-election in Selangor.
KKB was retained by Pakatan Harapan (PH) despite the apparent lower Indian turnout.
The Sg Bakap by-election was called when assemblyman Nor Zamri Latiff died on May 14 due to complications caused by a stomach inflammation.
In the constituency, there are 38,409 registered voters as of last year, of which 59.36% are Malays, Chinese (22.54%), Indians (17.39%), and other ethnicities (0.71%).
Satees said that the demographics in Sg Bakap is similar to KKB, so Urimai can play a role, especially in wooing Indians, in view that the community now lacks refined and strong leadership.
“Our messaging is clear that the community needs a voice of strong representation. We are not in politics to make up the numbers but to provide an alternative to the old politics which have led the country down in more ways than one,” said Satees.
The former DAP Bagan Dalam assemblyman said Urimai, for now, will back former PKR Sg Bakap assemblyman Datuk Amar Pritpal Abdullah for the seat again in view that he is a friend of Urimai.
Satees said that the party will only back Amar Pritpal if he stands as an independent.
He added that Uramai, for now, does not plan to support PH.
Amar Pritpal is active in the constituency due to his medical services and has served as the Penang Football Association president and deputy state speaker.
Nor Zamri won the seat, defeating the PH candidate, Penang Wanita PKR head Nurhidayah Che Rose, with a majority of 1,563 votes.
Sg Bakap is under the Nibong Tebal parliamentary seat held by Fadhlina Sidek, the current education minister.
The selection of candidates for PH is driven by the state leadership’s mandate to have at least 30% women representation in the assembly, so there is a strong possibility that a female may be chosen to contest the seat. – June 6, 2024.
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