Indian voters could play a decisive role in future elections, even in constituencies where they make up less than 20% of the electorate, says Urimai secretary M Satees.
He contended that many constituencies held by Pakatan Harapan, especially with elected representatives from DAP, were marginal seats that could flip if Indian voters swing towards the opposition.
“Indian votes matter not only in seats where they form over 20% of voters, but also in many marginal constituencies,” he said in a statement.
Satees cited Tambun, where Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim won the last general election by a margin of just under 3%, with Indians forming about 12% of the voters.
He also pointed to Seremban, where DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook won by fewer than 5,000 votes in 2022 against candidates from Perikatan Nasional and Barisan Nasional, despite almost 14% of the electorate being Indian, and Wong Shui Qi in Kluang, where a 10% Indian voter base could swing the seat in a straight fight.
The former DAP assemblyman was responding to an FMT report quoting political analyst Wong Chin Huat, who said the Indian vote was not large enough to influence overall outcomes, noting that only a handful of parliamentary seats have more than 20% Indian voters.
Satees said such views downplay the community’s impact and appeared “disconnected from developments on the ground”.
“As Indian voters turn away from PH-DAP, and with Chinese voters gradually distancing themselves, the days of PH dominance (in these seats) are clearly numbered,” he said.
