KUALA LUMPUR – Indian voters will play a decisive role in the upcoming state elections on August 12, particularly in Selangor, Penang, and Negri Sembilan.
Constituting more than 10% of the voter base in 76 out of 132 seats across these three states, the Indian community holds the potential to sway the electoral outcomes significantly.
Based on the Election Commission’s statistics, Selangor boasts a population of 3.7 million registered voters and Indian voters account for 13.9% (514,300) of the electorate.
Their influence is most obvious in 10 constituencies where their representation exceeds 20%, solidifying their importance in determining the outcomes of these contests.
Among the most pivotal constituencies in Selangor is Sentosa, where Indian voters comprise a remarkable 41% of the total voter base (90,270).
Other constituencies such as Rawang (25.7%), Meru (24.5%), and Ijok (24.2%) are also home to a significant Indian voter presence, underscoring their role as potential kingmakers in the state.
Sentosa, which has the highest number of Indian voters in the state, will be contested by Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) Dr Gunaraj George, Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) Parameswaran Ganason, Muda’s R. Thanusha, and Parti Rakyat Malaysia’s Jeichandran Wadivelu.
In the 2018 state elections, PH’s incumbent candidate, Dr Gunaraj, secured a staggering majority of 33,600 votes to win the seat.
Meanwhile, in Penang, there are 19 constituencies where Indian voters make up more than 10% of the electorate. Notable among these seats is Perai, with 7,372 out of 20,479 voters belonging to the Indian community.
The Perai constituency will witness PH’s newcomer candidate Datuk Seri S. Sundarajoo going against PN’s Sivasuntaram Rajalinggam, and Muda’s Vikneswary Harikrishnan in a full-fledged Indian competition.
Other areas include Bagan Dalam (26.5%), Jawi (25.5%), and Sungai Pinang (20.1%), reinforcing the potential of Indian voters to sway the electoral balance.
At the same time, in Negri Sembilan Indian voters will play a crucial role, with 20 state constituencies hosting more than 10% Indian voters.
Among these, Jeram Padang stands out with a commanding 33.6% of Indian voters, making it a key constituency for political parties to target.
The constituency’s Barisan Nasional (BN) incumbent, Manickam Letchuman from MIC, has given up his seat – which he won for two consecutive terms in 2013 and 2018 – to Mohd Zaidy Abdul Kadir from Umno, who will be battling against PN’s Suresh Sreenivasan.
Other prominent areas include Sri Tanjung (28.1%), Rantau (27.4%), and Seremban Jaya (27.2%), further highlighting the potential impact of Indian voters in determining the state’s political future.
The concentration of Indian voters in these key seats underscore their significance in the state elections, as political coalitions step up for one more week of intense campaigning. – August 7, 2023