YOURSAY | ‘Splitting even a few votes may make all the difference in winning GE14.’

DAP’s Sungai Siput hopeful doesn’t see himself as underdog

Quigonbond: I would urge Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) and DAP or PKR to reach a compromise to allow PSM incumbent Dr D Michael Jeyakumar to contest in Sungai Siput with the support of Pakatan Harapan, because that will maximise Indian and Chinese votes.

But Jeyakumar should be realistic enough and stop PSM from contesting anywhere else, because splitting even a few votes may make all the difference between BN winning or losing in the 14th general election.

We already have plenty of wasted votes from PAS, who is determined to play the spoiler and let BN win.

VGV: DAP’s A Sivanesan doesn’t have the slightest chance of winning in Sungai Siput. I've personally seen nothing “beneficial” that he’s done for the people there. Better for him to give up the seat to some other DAP candidate.

Comparatively, he is no match to the incumbent. Jeyakumar has done a lot to help the poor and needy in Sungai Siput.

But now we are in a state of confusion, as some “independent candidates" may jump into the fray to split the votes. Also MIC hopes to field their candidate, and thus "split hairs" among the Indian candidates.

With this assortment of “no-hopefuls,” it will put the Sungai Siput voters in "an awkward situation” to select the best.

Anonymous 2469701494820788: Jeyakumar has been very active assisting the electorate and residents of Sungai Siput for umpteen years. He is what a MP should do in and out of Parliament. He has done much for his constituency.

To parachute into Sungai Siput with the biggest opposition brand and try snatching it away (if DAP can) will only split the voters and make BN triumph, as it has shown from past voting records.

Pool the resources and go for straight fight. Don't be a spoiler.

Barathi Tamil: This is what I don’t like in DAP and BN opposition alliances. Sivanesan shouldn’t spoil Jeyakumar's hard work for the last two years.

Jeyakumar has already been Sungai Siput MP for last two terms. Leave him to contest there as usual and get DAP and PKR to support him.

If you are going to contest, or if DAP is going to contest in Sungai Siput for sure, then they will lose our Indian support for DAP.

DAP will be labelled as another arrogant and selfish party. We are anti-BN supporters, we don’t want any opposition to show their ego and behave against another anti-BN party and give BN a better chance of winning.

We have seen this in Semenyih and Kota Damansara. Sivanesan should just focus on Sungkai instead of spoiling Sungai Siput.

Anonymous 5: BN lost badly in the 12th general election, and both DAP and PKR seem to be heading down the same route.

They don’t seem to have learned from the Sarawak embarrassment of contesting against each other and being thrown out.

Only in humility can one be human. Why can't Harapan let PSM in?

Anonymous #13571680: Looking at most of the arguments put forth, one can understand why this country is screwed.

Firstly, most of them are not aware of the facts. Secondly, it is not PSM that is not wanting to cooperate with the opposition; PSM is being purposely being left out of the opposition pact, and only God only knows why.

As far as I am aware, PSM has always been willing to work with and for the people.

Ex-decorated Sargent: Jeyakumar won in 2008 and 2013 because of supporters of PKR, DAP and PAS, not much to do with PSM itself.

But similarly, the opposition also won a few seats because of help from PSM supporters.

Anonymous 2475091498015598: Some have decided that Sivanesan is the spoiler, but why aren’t they also critical of Jeyakumar? He should cooperate with Harapan and come to a compromise.

Those dark days, we all praised former MIC Sungai Siput MP S Samy Vellu as a great leader who raised the community to a respected level, but in reality he messed us up royally with all the grand schemes he hatched.

Jeyakumar is a good activist, but his ability to change the political culture is severely limited.

PSM is a miniscule party. To me, it has no future among the titans like DAP, PKR and Bersatu.

In contrast, Hindraf has carried out unbelievable change that altered the terrain of the current political scene. A loner like Jeyakumar can only go a certain distance in cutthroat politics.

My humble request for Jeyakumar is to face reality – one individual cannot carry out national transformation. There should be no sentimentality just because he is a decent person.

We can’t disregard the essence of a mass following. If he had the charisma of PKR’s Rafizi Ramli, then I would say Jeyakumar is a force to reckon with.

At best, he’s like Mother Teresa, who served the poor in India, but did not change the political culture.

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