ISKANDAR PUTERI – MIC has no issues with seats being allocated to “Friends of BN” parties as long as they do not involve its traditional seats.
Its president Tan Sri S.A. Vigneswaran said seats allocated to “Friends of BN” for the Johor election should be given as part of Umno or MCA’s quota.
“(Barisan Nasional can) consider giving Umno seats and so on, no problem, as long as they are not our seats,” he told reporters after the Johor MIC Brigade launching ceremony at the EduCity Sports Complex Indoor Stadium here yesterday.
He said this to reporters when asked about the seat distribution between BN component parties for the state election, which also involves “Friends of BN” parties.
Previously, the Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress and Makkal Sakti were reported to have submitted a request to the BN top leadership to contest in the state polls, based on their loyalty to the coalition all this while.
When asked about Umno’s request to switch two seats with MIC’s traditionally contested Gambir and Kahang, Vigneswaran said that there is a spirit of give-and-take in BN.
He said MIC is currently discussing the matter with BN chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
“We expect good news,” he added.
During the 14th general election, MIC contested four seats and won two, namely Kahang and Tenggaroh, but lost Gambir and Skudai.
Meanwhile, Johor BN chairman Datuk Hasni Mohammad said he was ready to bring the state to a new era of development if given the mandate in the state election.
He also said that if BN wins the Johor election, the government vertical quota would also need to be restored to provide housing opportunities to all communities.
“In the past, 10% of the quota was for Indians, but Pakatan Harapan felt that we were misusing the quota.
“But if we win (the Johor election), we need to restore the quota because it is important to provide housing opportunities to everyone,” he said during his speech.
MIC deputy president Datuk Seri M. Saravanan, BN treasurer-general Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, MIC Johor chairman R. Vidyananthan, MIC Women’s chief Datuk Mohana Muniandy, and MIC Youth chief K. Raven Kumar were also present at the event.
Meanwhile, Hasni said the term “pengundi muda” (young voters) should be changed to “pengundi baharu” (new voters) to differentiate them from the Muda party.
“If we meet these automatic voters, I hope we don’t call them ‘pengundi muda’ from today.
“Don’t say ‘muda’, say ‘pengundi baharu’. I don’t want Muda to represent the youth,” he said. – Bernama, February 14, 2022
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