TAPAH – With 14,000 new voters in this general election, Tapah’s Barisan Nasional (BN) incumbent Datuk Seri M. Saravanan is not leaving anything to chance.
His constant presence – whether it is through physical events, social media posts including a Kollywood-style music video, or his picture pasted in almost every corner of this 893sqkm constituency – illustrates he is not taking his incumbency for granted.
While other senior BN officials may be traversing the country campaigning in other areas, the MIC deputy president is staying put.
“I cannot take this place for granted,” said Saravanan who won the 2018 general election by a mere 614 votes.
Observers say he almost became a casualty of the Najib factor like some of his senior cabinet and party colleagues when BN was ousted following the 1MDB scandal involving Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
This is in stark contrast to 2013, where Saravanan won by 7,927 votes.
“These people have supported me for three terms but the new voters also need to be convinced,” said Saravanan when met here today.
He is, however, hoping his programmes on poverty eradication and education will help sway the new voters to his side.
This includes his efforts to mitigate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and successive movement control orders.
“I helped needy students through various programmes and gave them allowances so that they will have a fair shot at doing well in their studies,” he added.
Saravanan, 54, also hopes to win back some of the Chinese support which he had lost in 2018.
“I lost in all the Chinese streams then because of the national sentiment,” said the caretaker Human Resources Minister who was met at a dinner with the Chinese community in Ayer Kuning, Chenderiang, a hamlet of traders, smallholders and retirees.
“I think this time I can get some ground because of my service record and constant presence,” he added, indicating he was cautiously optimistic.
On this election being all about the next prime minister, Saravanan said he believes Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob still has the edge.
“No one will win a majority and PN (Perikatan Nasional) will have no choice but to work with Umno,” he said, suggesting this could prove a setback for PN chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who are said to be eyeing the premiership.
Saravanan is facing five opponents this election, chiefly K. Saraswathy of Pakatan Harapan (PH), followed by Perikatan Nasional (PN)’s Datuk Muhammad Yadzan Mohammad, Mohamed Akbar Yasin of Warisan, Mior Haidir of Pejuang, and independent candidate M. Kathiravan.
Tapah has 61,946 voters with almost half comprising Malays (48.4%), Chinese (24.6%), Indians (16.7%), and other ethnicities including Orang Asli at 10.3%. – The Vibes, November 16, 2022
