DAP needs 60% of Indian votes to retain Kuala Kubu Baharu, says party man

Source indicates that Pakatan Harapan has its work cut out for it as the Indian community is unhappy with the federal government.

(FMT) – DAP will need to secure at least 60% of the Indian vote if it wants to emerge victorious in the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election next month, according to a party source.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a Selangor DAP assemblyman said Indians were likely to tip the scales for either candidate.

“We need to capture at least 60% of the Indian vote to retain the seat. They are going to be the kingmakers for this seat, even though they represent just 18% of the electorate in the constituency.

“DAP will most likely retain the Chinese votes, while the Malay votes will be divided. Hence, the Indians will be kingmakers,” he said.

Kuala Kubu Baharu has a mixed electorate comprising 50% Malay, 30% Chinese and 18% Indian voters.

The assemblyman said the party was aware that the Indian community had been slowly leaning towards opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN).

“This is where the problem lies. There are some issues such as the handling of the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit, and the lack of Indian representation in the Cabinet,” he said.

According to the source, the Indians were not very happy with the government, especially at the federal level.

“With that, we expect to see Indian votes swinging to PN, even as a protest vote,” he said, adding that DAP needed a high voter turnout to ensure victory.

“To be on the safe side, we need a voter turnout of at least 75%.”

Meanwhile, a senior Selangor DAP leader said the party had yet to decide on its candidate.

“We are still in the middle of the selection process but no names have been decided on as of now,” said the leader, who also declined to be named.

The by-election for the Kuala Kubu Baharu seat will be held on May 11. The seat fell vacant with the death of its three-term assemblyman, DAP’s Lee Kee Hiong, on March 21 after a battle with cancer.

Lee first won her seat in 2013 after defeating MCA’s Ooi Hui Wen with a 1,702-vote majority, and defended it in 2018 with a 7,134-vote majority over MCA’s Wong Koon Mun.

During the state election last year, Lee again retained the seat for DAP with a 4,119-vote majority, fending off Gerakan’s Henry Teoh.