Johor elections: MIC expected to field new faces!
JOHOR BAHRU: Speculation is mounting over the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) candidate line-up for the upcoming Johor state legislative assembly elections. Internal sources indicate that the party is set to be allocated four seats under the Barisan Nasional (BN) banner, matching its quota from the 2022 state polls.
However, there are also speculations that another BN component, MyPPP, may get one seat to contest, and that MIPP, the Indian-based party headed by Punithan, may be embraced into the BN coalition with the offer of one state assembly seat in Johor. It is unclear whether the seats to be allocated to them are in addition to the MIC seats or whether MIC’s quota will be reduced to accommodate these new players.
MIC: Three Traditional Seats Retained; One Major Swap
Party insiders reveal that MIC is poised to retain three of its traditional strongholds: Kahang, Kemelah, and Bukit Batu. However, in a strategic shift, the party will not return to its fourth traditional seat, Tenggaroh. Instead, it has been allocated to the Perling constituency, which falls under the Pulai parliamentary constituency. Perling is currently held by DAP’s Deputy Minister of Finance Liew Chin Tong, while Pulai is held by Pakatan Harapan (PH) under Amanah’s Suhaizan Kaiat.
This redistribution has cast uncertainty over the political future of Ravinkumar, who had contested the Tenggaroh state seat for 3 consecutive terms since 2013 and has also served as an EXCO member for the Johor State government.
Observers are closely watching to see whether he will be redeployed to another constituency or sit out the upcoming election entirely.
Fresh Faces and Key Battles
MIC sources said the party is expected to field a mix of old and new faces for the 4 seats it is projected to win. In Kahang, the incumbent assemblyman, Vidyananthan, who has served four consecutive terms since 2008 and previously served as an EXCO member, may not be given the opportunity to contest again.
MIC failed to win Bukit Batu in the 2022 elections. The seat was contested by Suppayah in the last election. Suppayah lost by only 137 votes to the PKR candidate. Suppayah is not expected to be fielded again in Bukit Batu, and a new face may be fielded instead.
Will the ‘Gambir’ man return?
MIC circles in Johor are also abuzz with speculation that the current Vice-President of MIC, Datuk M. Asojan, may be fielded as a candidate.
Asojan, the former Johor MIC chief and State EXCO member, served as the Gambir assemblyman until 2018. In the 2018 General election, Muhyiddin Yassin, the president of Bersatu, contested in Gambir, defeating Asojan.
In 2022, the seat was contested by UMNO and won. Therefore, the 60% Malay majority seat is unlikely to be returned to MIC.
With Muhyiddin having already announced that he will not defend the Gambir seat, rumours circulated regarding a potential return for Asojan. However, party sources have downplayed this possibility, stating that Gambir is unlikely to be returned to MIC as it is a heavily Malay-majority constituency.
The redistribution of seats and the impending selection of fresh faces have triggered a wave of lobbying within Johor MIC. A flurry of hopefuls and grassroots leaders are reportedly making representations to the party’s central leadership, eager to secure a spot on the final ticket.
