THE upcoming by-election for the Air Kuning state seat in Perak is unavoidable as the state assembly is still within its mandated three-year period. It must be held within 60 days, ie April 23 this year.
The Election Commission (EC) has yet to announce polling date following the recent demise of the incumbent UMNO assemblyman Ishsam Shahruddin, a well-known sportsman who excelled in soccer. Autopsy revealed that the 59-year-old first term politician had died of heart attack.
Despite the absence of a set date, UMNO Perak has already begun preparations for the by-election by displaying confidence in retaining the seat even though the party’s majority in the last election was just over 2,000 votes.
On the other side, Perikatan Nasional (PN) is expected to field a candidate from Bersatu, setting the stage for a fierce contest between the two rival Malay-majority parties.
The demographic composition of Air Kuning’s voters consists of 55% Malays, Chinese (21%) and Indians (14%).
While Malay voters are divided in their loyalties between UMNO and Bersatu, dissatisfaction among the non-Malay communities could lead to lower voter turnout – similar to the patterns observed in the Sungai Bakap and Mahkota by-elections.
It would be a mistake for UMNO to assume that non-Malay voters will automatically support them simply because the party is part of the ruling coalition.
‘Non-Malay discontent runs deep’
The non-Malay electorate has grown increasingly disillusioned with Barisan Nasional (BN), particularly with ‘big brother’ UMNO’s reluctance to appoint non-Malays (from MCA and MIC) to ministerial positions.
Moreover, UMNO’s long history of marginalising non-Malay communities remains a deep-seated concern.
Even if DAP attempts to rally the Chinese community behind UMNO, the sentiment of discontent runs deep, especially towards the broader Madani government.
A repeat of the Sungai Bakap by-election whereby many Chinese voters simply abstained from voting is a likely scenario.
The Indian community, on the other hand, has been more strategic in its political decisions. Many Indians continue to distance themselves from UMNO and the Pakatan Harapan (PH)-led Madani government.
The painful memories of marginalisation under UMNO’s rule are not easily forgotten. The presence of MIC in BN does little to change this perception.
Furthermore, there is growing resentment towards Prime Minister Datuk Srei Anwar Ibrahim’s administration which is seen as having failed to address key issues affecting the Indian community.
Instead of progress, Indians see an oppressive government that has immobilised their economic and social development.
In this context, Urimai or the Malaysian Rights Party will launch a focused campaign urging Indians not to vote for UMNO or the PH-led government.
This campaign will not be in support of PN either as the opposition coalition has yet to demonstrate any real commitment to non-Malay rights.
PN’s fixation on race and religion has hindered its ability to project a truly national vision. Urimai is confident that it can convince more than 50% of Indian voters to abstain from voting for UMNO.
Both UMNO and PH must be taught a lesson. The time has come for Urimai to emerge as a serious political force, breaking away from the failures of past parties that have taken the Indian community for granted. – Feb 24, 2025
Former DAP stalwart and Penang chief minister II Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is chairman of the United Rights of Malaysian Party (Urimai) interim council.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
Main image credit: Ishsam Shahruddin/Facebook
