THAT the Klang Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition has unanimously nominated Klang Bersatu associate Dr Jaya Chandran Perumal (wearing a red shirt and songkok on main pic) as its candidate for the Klang parliamentary seat has set tongues wagging about the status of non-Muslims in a purely Malay/Bumiputera-centric party.
The 47-year-old Klang Bersatu associate wing head who was described by Klang PN deputy chief Khalid Nayan as “the people’s doctor” had apparently served at the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital (HTAR) before going into private practice.
“I will ensure that the people of Klang receive proper (medical) treatment and live a healthy life,” he told Berita Bersatu.
Claiming that the DAP which has held the Klang seat for three terms (under incumbent MP Charles Santiago), has failed to resolve many issues such as flooding, irrigation and welfare, the good doctor pledges to end the suffering of Klang constituents if he was elected.
“I will bring every problem faced by the public to Parliament in order (for these problems) to receive the proper attention,” he added.
Whether Dr Jaya Chandran will give Santiago’s replacement V. Ganabatirau who is a two-term state assemblyman for Kota Alam Shah and Kota Kemuning a run for his money is as good as anybody’s guess but it seems that ‘Klangnites’ are not warming up to his presence in the first place.
“I have been a resident in Klang since 1955 but who is this man? If he thinks he is going to win because DAP dropped Santiago, he has high hopes,” berated a Malaysiakini subscriber who goes by the pseudonym Francs Rozario.
“All I can tell him is he is backing the wrong horse, his prospect for losing his deposit is very high, extremely high indeed.”
Concurring with Francs Rozario, fellow subscriber Sun suggested that any doctor who aligns himself with a party that gives no voting rights to non-Malays “needs medical attention himself”.
“Please stay as the people’s doctor and do your good work by associating with like-minded NGOs (non-governmental organisations),” asserted Sun. “Don’t sully your name and stray away from your noble objectives by associating with an ethnocentric party like PN.”
Kilimanjaro gave the Klang MP aspirant a long cynical lecture beginning with “he is ‘barred’ from voting in his own party, and yet has the cheek to ask for our votes”.
“Remember the days of Martin Luther King’s struggles and the Americans have moved on with electing (Barack) Obama (as US president),” he argued.
“In this country, these people are moving backwards. Can this guy get a guarantee that Bersatu and UMNO will agree to ICERD (International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination)? Free medical service?”
Added Kilimanjaro: “This country is spending billions on health. COVID-19 vaccines and boosters were free, too. So, what is this doctor talking about? Worse of all, a vote for anyone representing Bersatu is a vote for (Tan Sri) Hadi Awang and PAS. This is how UMNO used MCA and MIC against the NM (non-Malays).”
While PN is expected to only reveal their candidate list tomorrow (Nov 1) evening, Malaysiakini expects another potential candidate for Klang to be Dr Loo Cheng Wee of Warisan – and perhaps one or two independent candidates to join the fray as well. – Oct 31, 2022
Main pic credit: Agenda Daily
