Labis, March 20 – A tussle may be brewing between DAP leaders Hew Kuan Yew and S.Ramakrishnan (pic) on the candidacy for the Labis Parliamentary constituency.
Yesterday, Malaysiakini reported that Hew Kuan Yew, popularly known as ‘Superman’ in DAP circles announced that party’s Secretary General Lim Guan Eng has asked him to contest in Labis against MCA’s Chua Tee Yong and that he is contemplating about the proposal.
However, DAP circles said that former Senator from Selangor S.Ramakrishnan has been working on the Labis seat for the past few years and is almost close to clinching the candidacy for the seat.
Ramakrishnan first went to work for Pakatan Rakyat candidate in the Tenang by-election in January 2011. Tenang falls under the Labis parliamentary constituency.
DAP sources said since then Ramakrishnan has been visiting the Labis constituency frequently, working closely on the ground in particular with the local Chinese and Indian voters. Ramakrishnan is said to be in Labis almost every weekend meeting voters, local NGOs and other groups.
During the Tenang by-election Ramakrishnan is said to have realised that it is one of the potential seats that can be wrested from BN and seeing no real DAP presence there began working on the seat by visiting the constituency frequently.
The Indian leaders in DAP, until yesterday were almost certain that Labis would go to Ramakrishnan because of his ground work there but they are said to be disappointed that the seat may now go to Hew Kuan Lew.
Segamat & Labis neighbouring constituencies….
DAP sources also said that an Indian candidate from DAP may be fielded in Segamat, another parliament seat in Johor which borders Labis and hence this could be the reason for the DAP leadership to choose a Chinese candidate for Labis.
Fielding two Indian candidates in the two bordering parliament seats, side by side, may not go down well with local DAP leaders and other Pakatan Rakyat parties.
Labis has 47% Chinese votes, 36% Malay votes and 15% Indian votes. With 62% non-Malay votes it is another ideal Johor seat that can be wrested by DAP from BN.
Labis is currently held by Chua Tee Yong, son of MCA President Chua Soi Lek, and therefore it would another prestigious seat for DAP to conquer.
Ramakrishnan is said to have garnered sufficient Indian support in Labis and with the growing Chinese support in Johor the chances of capturing the seat is high, if he is fielded as a candidate.
However, with the latest developments, if Labis is contested by MCA’s Chua Tee Yong and DAP’s Hew Kuan Lew (pic-left), then the Indian voters may opt for BN as they have traditionally done in the past.
