The Malaysian Insight

WANTING a better future for the community, fed up with MIC’s incompetence and anger over Umno’s extremist image are among the reasons why the Indian community has ditched Barisan Nasional in favour of Pakatan Harapan, said analysts.

They added the swing in the community’s support for PH has gotten firmer since the May general election to the recent Port Dickson by-election as the community feels the new government has a lot to offer them.

This despite there being no single party in the current ruling coalition that caters just to the Indian community.

KRA Group political analyst Amir Fareed Abdul Rahim said there were both “push and pull factors” that resulted in the swing for the Indian votes.

“The most important pull factor is PH, especially through PKR, which champions the socio-economic agenda which is an issue close to Indian voters.

“Moreover, as PH is in power, going against the party in power may lead to marginalisation by the government.

“One of the major concerns on the ground is about being part of a more equitable future,” Amir told The Malaysian Insight.

Amir added that failure of BN’s MIC to be a proper representative of the community also solidified the Indian vote for PH.

“In terms of push factors, the failure of MIC to cater to the aspirations of the wider Indian community, its inability to reform and now that it is no longer (part of the government) in power, they are seen as being unable to directly assist the community,” he said.

The 14th general election was won by Pakatan Harapan. Voter turnout was registered at 83% with the non-Malay, non-Muslim votes almost entirely going to PH.

There are over 1,041,486 registered Indian voters in Peninsular Malaysia. While the turnout for the four by-elections since GE14 has been poor, support from the Indians for PH candidates remained strong.

In the last by-election in Port Dickson, PH candidate Anwar Ibrahim had a near-full full sweep of votes from the Indian community, including support from MIC leaders and members on the ground.

Ilham Centre executive director Mohd Azlan Zainal meanwhile said the Indian votes for PH had increased in the last general election due to the coalition’s pact with Indian rights group Hindraf.

“The Indian vote was fragile and was not static in the past three general elections. In the 12th general election (2008), the Indian votes for Pakatan was the highest when it hit 71%.

“In the 13th general election (2013), it dwindled to 54% due to Hindraf’s cooperation with BN. In the 14th general election (2018), the Indian vote increased to 67%.

“This is because Hindraf leader P. Waytha Moorthy resigned (from BN’s cabinet) and made a deal with Dr Mahathir, so there was an increase in the number of votes,” he said referring to current prime minister and PH chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Ilham Centre’s estimation of Indian voters for PH in GE14 is much lower to that given by pollster Merdeka Centre which put the figure as being between 70% and 75%.

Even the Malaysian Indian Blueprint (MIB) which former prime minister Najib Razak outlined could not woo the Indian voters as they were not easily fooled, said Penang Institute political analyst Wong Chin Huat.

“Umno’s right-wing shift post-2008 has earned itself an extremist image that even money from MIB could not overturn. The similar trend was found among the Chinese, at a stronger level.

“The perceived once-in-a-lifetime chance of overthrowing Umno electrified many Indians as it did many other Malaysians,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

The former lecturer added PH had a proven track record of being “friendlier to minorities” in states like Penang and Selangor before the general election.

“The track record of Pakatan Rakyat and PH in Selangor and Penang in taking care of Malaysians in general, and the Indians in particular, had not just built brand loyalty among traditionally pro-opposition Indians, but also converted many MIC supporters,” Wong said.

In the next general election, Amir said Indian voters will still be solidly behind PH as there is no viable alternative in the opposition to attract them.

“After May 9, there is no clear direction yet from the MIC leadership even in providing effective checks and balances. All this while MIC was tolerated because it was part of the ruling coalition,” he added. – October 20, 2018.