The candidate is from MIC.

 

Daro, Kuala Lumpur:

 

The Prime Minister of Malaysia, Najib Razak , said on Thursday that the candidate representing the National Front Coalition in the upcoming Hulu Selangor parliamentary by-election will come from MIC or the Malaysian Indian Congress. However, Najib says that he is still considering all the names MIC forwarded to him.

 

The Parliamentary Constituency of P. 94 Hulu Selangor was previously won by Dr Annuar Ujang of the Pakatan Rakyat which is the Opposition at the federal level.

 

During the twelfth General Election of March 2008, the late Dr Annuar won the seat by only one hundred vote majority. The National Front‘s candidate was G. Palanivel, a close friend of Samy Vellu.

 

It is quite apparent that Najib Razak is trying to ride the surging interest among the people at large for his rule. He is also trying to capitalise on the Opposition’s never-ending internal squabbling. The Opposition is also trying to grapple with the news that several more of their members will be leaving the party.

 

It is quite interesting to note that such announcement can be delayed and wait for a more dramatic moment. Political analysts here, among the rural folks, pointed to rumours circulating that said there are members of the UMNO elite who wanted the seat for a Malay since the majority voters there are Malays.

 

However, some said that taking the seat away from MIC will tantamount to betraying the Indians who are generally still rallying behind MIC.

 

By focussing on the group who will benefit most from the announcement, Najib also took away the balls from HINDRAF’s publicity cannon.

 

Yes, one may conclude that there are more interpretations of Najib’s announcement. Such is the mood of the Malaysian political climate.