Dr Kua Kia Soong saw fit to talk about the Sungai Siput federal constituency which will be contested by 4 candidates on 09 May 2018.
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Once it was Samy Vellu's fiefdom. He was virtually the political Maharajah there until 2008 when Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj of the PSM (but contesting under the PKR banner) benefited from the general landslide sweep against the BN across Peninsular, and won the seat. In the 2013 GE Dr Jeya held Sungai Siput for a second term.
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But with the recent long brouhaha involving Pakatan's marginalisation of PSM, wakakaka, Dr Jeya nearly gave up contesting in Sungai Siput for a third term in GE14.
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There are of course 2 sides to every story, where on one side, Pakatan is against PSM contesting in any of its staked seats, and if PSM does, then it's open war against PSM where it will be treated as a political foe.
On the other of the coin, PSM feels Pakatan has left it no room to breath let alone manoeuvre around. It will eventually become just a one-seat political party or a no-seat NGO.
Generally, Pakatan or PKR has been tolerant of only one PSM candidate, namely, Dr Jeya himself, standing in Sungai Siput provided he does it under the PKR Blue Moon, effectively as a PKR candidate.
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But because PSM is insistent it will contest in other federal and state constituencies, Pakatan has now considered it as a political opponent, thus is putting up a PKR candidate by the name of Kesavan Subramaniam in Sungai Siput.
What many political observers fear will now happen, that the anti-BN votes will be split and probably allow the BN candidate (Devamany of MIC) to win.
Three or more cornered fights have been known to favour BN but DAP's strategist Liew Chin Tong thinks otherwise, that Pakatan can in fact benefit from such a multi-corner contests. We have to wait and see.
Chinese 18,255 - 37.3%
Bumis 15,745 - 32.1%
Indians 13,439 - 27.5%
Others 113 - 0.2%
The four contestants are:
As discussed, 3 or more cornered fights usually advantage BN, thus with the probable prospect of the BN candidate winning, thus Dr Kua wonders whether Pakatan is truly serious about ensuring the defeat of the BN and the installation of a better people-centred government with good peoples’ representatives like Dr Jeya?
Once it was Samy Vellu's fiefdom. He was virtually the political Maharajah there until 2008 when Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj of the PSM (but contesting under the PKR banner) benefited from the general landslide sweep against the BN across Peninsular, and won the seat. In the 2013 GE Dr Jeya held Sungai Siput for a second term.
But with the recent long brouhaha involving Pakatan's marginalisation of PSM, wakakaka, Dr Jeya nearly gave up contesting in Sungai Siput for a third term in GE14.
There are of course 2 sides to every story, where on one side, Pakatan is against PSM contesting in any of its staked seats, and if PSM does, then it's open war against PSM where it will be treated as a political foe.
On the other of the coin, PSM feels Pakatan has left it no room to breath let alone manoeuvre around. It will eventually become just a one-seat political party or a no-seat NGO.
Generally, Pakatan or PKR has been tolerant of only one PSM candidate, namely, Dr Jeya himself, standing in Sungai Siput provided he does it under the PKR Blue Moon, effectively as a PKR candidate.
But because PSM is insistent it will contest in other federal and state constituencies, Pakatan has now considered it as a political opponent, thus is putting up a PKR candidate by the name of Kesavan Subramaniam in Sungai Siput.
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Kesavan Subramaniam |
What many political observers fear will now happen, that the anti-BN votes will be split and probably allow the BN candidate (Devamany of MIC) to win.
Three or more cornered fights have been known to favour BN but DAP's strategist Liew Chin Tong thinks otherwise, that Pakatan can in fact benefit from such a multi-corner contests. We have to wait and see.
One puzzling side issue - I wonder why Sungai Siput has to be contested by an Indian candidate? The ethnic demographics give us (based on 2010 census, so do allow for an increase in registered voters):
Chinese 18,255 - 37.3%
Bumis 15,745 - 32.1%
Indians 13,439 - 27.5%
Others 113 - 0.2%
The Indian strength in Sungai Siput is not unlike that in the Perak state seat of Jelapang which also has around 25% of its voters being Indians.
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But alas, for PSM which has already contested in Jelapang twice but sadly lost. In the 2013 GE its candidate Sarasvathy Muthu could only obtain 10.4% of the total votes, not even all the Indian votes.
Anyway, having said all that, I found out PAS will be putting up a Malay candidate in the constituency.
But alas, for PSM which has already contested in Jelapang twice but sadly lost. In the 2013 GE its candidate Sarasvathy Muthu could only obtain 10.4% of the total votes, not even all the Indian votes.
Anyway, having said all that, I found out PAS will be putting up a Malay candidate in the constituency.
The four contestants are:
(a) SK Devamany (MIC deputy president),
(b) S. Kesavan (PKR Hutan Melintang assemblyman), (c) Dr Ishak Ibrahim (PAS), and
(d) incumbent Dr D. Micheal Jeyakumar (PSM).
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he'll take away PAS votes in Sungai Siput that previously went to Pakatan |
As discussed, 3 or more cornered fights usually advantage BN, thus with the probable prospect of the BN candidate winning, thus Dr Kua wonders whether Pakatan is truly serious about ensuring the defeat of the BN and the installation of a better people-centred government with good peoples’ representatives like Dr Jeya?
Dr Kua reminded us Dr Jeya has been the Sungai Siput MP since 2008 and has won plaudits from many quarters as the model “peoples’ representative” in the Malaysian parliament who consistently raises national issues of development, issues affecting the peoples’ welfare as well as proposing solutions to these problems.
Dr Kua thought if Pakatan was serious about winning GE14 at the national level, why position itself in a senseless unlikely-to-win tussle in Sungai Siput when that seat could most likely go to PSM if Dr Jeya isn't kacau by PKR?
Indeed to his disgust, he lamented Pakatan has seen it fit to put up a candidate to split the vote that will inevitably lead to a BN victory. Samy Vellu’s toupee must have danced to his chuckles after the recent nominations.
It may well be that some parties like PKR may be looking at a far more strategic picture than immediately whacking BN to win GE14. We'll talk about this soon.
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Or, perhaps PKR hope the voters in Sungai Siput may vote for the Blue Moon by mistaken, erroneously thinking Dr Jeya (whom they want) is still the PKR candidate? But then, if those voters are so stupid as imagined by PKR, they may even vote for PAS, wakakaka.
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Dr Kua thought if Pakatan was serious about winning GE14 at the national level, why position itself in a senseless unlikely-to-win tussle in Sungai Siput when that seat could most likely go to PSM if Dr Jeya isn't kacau by PKR?
Indeed to his disgust, he lamented Pakatan has seen it fit to put up a candidate to split the vote that will inevitably lead to a BN victory. Samy Vellu’s toupee must have danced to his chuckles after the recent nominations.
It may well be that some parties like PKR may be looking at a far more strategic picture than immediately whacking BN to win GE14. We'll talk about this soon.
Or, perhaps PKR hope the voters in Sungai Siput may vote for the Blue Moon by mistaken, erroneously thinking Dr Jeya (whom they want) is still the PKR candidate? But then, if those voters are so stupid as imagined by PKR, they may even vote for PAS, wakakaka.
