KUALA LUMPUR: “I am a winnable candidate, there’s no doubt about it. I am willing to re-contest the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat. Internal sabotage led to my defeat there in 2008 (general election).”
This impassioned declaration comes from none other than former MIC president S Samy Vellu.
Nevertheless, he stressed that it was always the prerogative of Prime Minister and Barisan Nasional chairman Najib Tun Razak to decide the candidate for Sungai Siput.
He was speaking to reporters here today, after handing over contributions totalling RM100,000, to the families of policemen killed and injured in the Lahad Datu terrorist intrusion, at the federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman here.
The donations were from the Social Rehabilitation Foundation (Yayasan Pemulihan Sosial), of which he is chairman.
Samy Vellu, who is BN coordinator for Sungai Siput, was asked whether he would contest that particular seat or any other seat in the coming 13th general election.
Earlier today, Najib announced the dissolution of the Dewan Rakyat.
In the 2008 general election, the former works minister lost the long-standing MIC stronghold of Sungai Siput to Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj of the Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM), by a 1,821-vote majority.
To a question, Samy Vellu, who is also special envoy to India and South Asia for infrastructure, said he was ready to contest if the prime minister decided he was the right candidate for the BN coalition.
He said that BN had a good chance to wrest back Sungai Siput, provided the coalition fielded a “good and hardworking candidate” who knew the people at the same time.
Touching on his defeat in the 2008 polls, Samy Vellu described it as “a sad history”, claiming that his “own people” had sabotaged him.
On BN’s election preparations in Sungai Siput, the former MIC chief said groundwork began about three months ago, and some 65% of campaigning had been completed.
“The signs from the voters are good, indeed. Our election machinery has been making its rounds to the villages and Felda settlements.
“The voters, especially those from the Indian community, are returning to the BN as they’ve realised that Najib is a capable and focused leader who thinks and understands how to uplift the community,” he said.
To another question, Samy Vellu noted that there was no such thing as “safe” seats.
“You have to give your life and fight it. If somebody wants a safe seat, the best way is not to contest. Those who ask for safe seats are not heroes.
“You also need to fight in a seat. Like Sungai Siput, it’s a hard seat and still, we’ll fight for it, and we will win it. And, we’re very happy to have the support of the people,” he said.
The current ethnic breakdown in Sungai Siput is 31% Malay, 41% Chinese, 23% Indian and 5% other races.
