BERSAMA fields 2 Indian candidates in Johor state polls

JOHOR BAHRU — In a bid to enhance its appeal among minority communities, the central leadership of Parti Bersama, headed by Rafizi Ramli, is fielding two state seats to ethnic Indian candidates for the upcoming Johor state legislative elections.

Bersama is launching a widespread campaign across Johor, entering candidates in 15 battlegrounds out of the 56 seats comprising the state assembly. The party is prioritising seats traditionally held or fiercely contested by established political giants, including UMNO, PKR, and the Democratic Action Party (DAP).

Of the 15 designated battlegrounds, Bersama has targeted two specific constituencies to field its Indian representatives:

• Puteri Wangsa: Bersama has announced Nicholas Paul Vincent as its candidate for Puteri Wangsa, a seat which is facing candidates from 4 different parties and an Independent. The Candidates are:

  1. Teo Chia Ling | Barisan Nasional2. Dr Maszlee Malik | PH (PKR)

  3. Rashifa Aljunied | Muda

  4. Nicholas Paul Vincent | Bersama

  5. Wang Wee Siong | Independent

• Bukit Batu: In a move that has drawn significant attention, the party has selected Thamili Gopalakrishnan as the candidate for Bukit Batu. Tamili, the 29-year-old law graduate, is facing another 3 Indian candidates from other parties. The candidates for Bukit are:

  1. R Kumaran | Barisan Nasional/MIC2. Chiong Sen Sern | PH (PKR) (Incumbent)

  3. Premanand Maniam | Muda

  4. G. Tamili | Bersama

  5. Kamaruzaman Ali | Independent

The selection of Thamili Gopalakrishnan in Bukit Batu has attracted attention from her political adversaries. Thamili recently resigned from PKR following a prolonged period of active political participation in the party.

Bersama sources pointed out that it is no secret that PKR members have been joining BERSAMA in droves, and Tamili is no exception. Why level such criticisms against her when Rafizi and Nik Nazmi are themselves former PKR leaders?

Her family possesses deep-seated political roots within the PKR and Johor. Her father, Gopalakrishnan, is a seasoned political figure who previously contested the Tiram state seat twice under the PKR banner. In 2018, Gopalakrishnan won the Tiram state assembly seat on the PKR ticket but lost the seat in the 2022 Johor state elections.

Thamili’s entry into the Bukit Batu fray sets up a multi-cornered fight against Barisan Nasional’s MIC candidate, Kumaran, and another Indian candidate from MUDA, Premanand Maniam. Since 8.4% of Indian votes are expected to be split among 3 political parties, the Malay (36.5%) and Chinese (53.4%) electorates may determine the outcome.

The general opinion among political observers is that BERSAMA, in the 15 seats it is contesting, will capture a sizeable share of the vote, but whether that will help the BN, PH, or PN remains to be seen. Even if BERSAMA can win at least one seat from the 15 seats it is contesting, that would be a huge victory for the fledgling party.