Pn Urged To Reconsider Segamat Candidate

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The Segamat Bersatu affiliate’s wing has urged the party’s leadership to reconsider its choice of candidate for the constituency.
The wing’s divisional chief R Sivarajah said the prospective Segamat Perikatan Nasional candidate P Poobalan (above) is “not quite popular” in Segamat and not as active as his rivals from Pakatan Harapan and BN.
“First of all, the PN candidate is not from Segamat. Although his name has been announced (as a candidate), to this day, he has yet to open an operations room.
“His party machinery is not moving either. This is a clear sign that PN is far behind Harapan and BN, and may lose the election if PN’s leadership opts to retain this candidate,” Sivarajah told Malaysiakini.
He said this after PN opted to field the newcomer in Segamat after its incumbent MP Edmund Santhra left PN to join Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM).
Malaysiakini has contacted Poobalan for comment.
‘We need someone powerful’
Harapan is fielding PKR central leadership council member R Yuneswaran in Segamat, while MIC is fielding its treasurer-general M Ramasamy as the BN candidate.
Segamat Bersatu affiliate’s wing’s divisional chief R Sivarajah“We need to understand that the BN candidate is a millionaire backed by the federal and state government machinery. Meanwhile, Yuneswaran contesting under Harapan has strong grassroots support,” Sivarajah said.
He said the Segamat Bersatu has invited the wing’s chief, Chong Fat Full, to contest in Segamat, but he has declined to contest in the election.
“So, we need to field someone as powerful as the other candidates.”
For now, Sivarajah said, the incumbent Santhara is the best option for PN in Segamat even though he is no longer part of the coalition.
“To retain this seat, we need a ‘heavyweight’ candidate like Santhara who can compete and defend this seat.
“Although he is no longer with PN, I believe PN should give him a chance to contest in Segamat where he has a solid track record,” Sivarajah added.
Incumbent Segamat MP Edmund SanthraSanthara won the Segamat seat during the 2018 general election while contesting under the Harapan ticket, defeating the incumbent Dr S Subramaniam with a majority of 5,476 votes. Subramaniam was then the MIC president.
Santhara then defected to Bersatu as part of the Sheraton Move in 2020, before leaving the party to join PBM. - Mkini

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