Call on the Indian voters to once again play their kingmaker role in the next election and bring about A Better Malaysia for All

Speech by M Kula Segaran, DAP National Vice Chairman and MP for Ipoh Barat at Tamil Ceramah organsied by DAP Paloh Branch, Johore on  Sunday, September 30, 2012

Call on the Indian voters to once again play their kingmaker role in the next election and bring about A Better Malaysia for All 

As expected, the Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Sri Najib presented an election budget—a budget with cash handouts and ‘goodies’ aimed at winning voter support. 

“There are only two words to describe it — election budget,” Monash University’s political science lecturer James Chin was quoted as saying in a news portal

Actually the fact is so plain obvious to all.  Whether economics experts, academicians, political observers and the ordinary people can all see it. 

Yet the deputy Prime Minister Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has denied that the Budget an election-geared one.

He said it was more about Malaysians than it was about elections.

I believe that even BN politicians and supporters can see that this is an election budget. 

The two immediate questions that many people are now asking are firstly, will the next general election be held this year or next year and secondly, will the candied budget garner the targeted support BN hopes to achieve.

I am inclined to believe that the election will be called next year based on the ground that the major goodies will only be distributed next year. 

Of course the BN government can hold the election this year and campaign along the theme that the people will enjoy the goodies with BN’s return to power. 

After all, former Prime Minister Mahathir did dissolve the Parliament once before the presented budget was passed by the Parliament. 

But Najib is not Mahathir and Najib will likely call for election next year as he is worried that any ‘feel good “factor can only be created when the goodies reach the voters’ hands. 

I believe that whether the election is going to be held this year or next year, the candied budget will not deliver the support that BN hopes to achieve. 

By saying so, I am not saying that the voters will reject the goodies and cash handouts. 

This is an era where there voters are politically awakened and know that an election means more than budget goodies. 

More importantly, Malaysian voters now know that there is an alternative choice—the Pakatan Rakyat.

Now, Malaysians can have a real choice because Pakatan Rakyat is now a reliable credible and united alternative coalition to BN. 

And voters can see that the PR led state governments have done well. 

However, it is important that while the next election is going to be golden opportunity for voters to go for a political change, voters must also beware of all possible dirty tactics and lies that BN will employ to try to woo voter support and hang on to power. 

The Indian voters played the kingmaker role at the last general election and helped create the 308 political tsunami. 

I call on the Indian voters to once again play their kingmaker role in the next election and bring about A Better Malaysia for All