KUALA LUMPUR — Who will be the sole Indian representative in the Selangor state executive council (exco)?
This is usually a contentious topic for the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition due to the limited number of exco positions available, with both PKR and DAP putting their candidates across.
In proportion to the population (about 10% of seven million people), Indians are usually given just one of the 11 exco positions.
The piece of the pie is now even smaller since PH would have to also offer a spot to Barisan Nasional (BN) – particularly Umno which it partnered for the first time as a unity coalition in the recently concluded state elections.
With former exco member, DAP’s V Ganabatirau stepping down to contest the Klang parliamentary seat, all eyes are on two individuals to take his place – namely his younger brother who won the Banting state seat V. Pappa Raidu; and PKR’s veteran Sentosa assemblyman Gunarajah George.
Being a first timer may work against Pappa Raidu, especially when Gunarajah, 60, now serving his second term, not only has a track record as an assemblyman but had also served as a councillor at the Selayang Municipal Council.
“It is only fair that PKR be given the post, seeing that there is an understanding that the sole Indian exco position will be rotated between PKR and DAP,” said a PKR insider.
Pappa Raidu, 54, however is no novice, having served as a Shah Alam councillor previously.
When the then-Pakatan Harapan took over the state in 2008, PKR’s Datuk Dr Xavier Jayakumar was the sole Indian exco member. He held the portfolio of Health, Plantation Workers, Poverty and Local Government.
The post was given to Ganabatirau following the 2013 general elections when he contested and won in the seat then known as Kota Alam Shah.
However in 2018, instead of reverting to PKR after the general election, Ganabatirau who switched and won the Kota Kemuning seat was retained as an exco member.
“If DAP retains the exco post a third consecutive time it would certainly be seen as being unfair to PKR.
“Especially when PKR has a suitable candidate,” said another senior PKR member.
PH lost its two-thirds majority in the August 12 state polls winning just 32 of the 56 state seats – a far cry from the 51-seat super-majority that it won in 2018.
DAP, however, which won 15 of the seats may believe it has more claim over the exco position based on the fact that it holds the majority bloc in the state legislative assembly while PKR already has been given the menteri besar’s post.
PKR has 12 seats and Amanah has five. BN-Umno has two, contributing to the government bloc’s 34-seat majority.
DAP also has three assemblymen from the Indian community namely – Pappa Raidu; Kota Kemuning assemblyman Preakas Sampunathan; and Bukit Gasing assemblyman R. Rajiv.
“DAP has always felt that despite consistently being the main contributor to PH’s victories, by virtue of being a ‘Chinese party’ it cannot be rewarded justly.
“Just look at the cabinet composition where it only has four posts despite controlling 42 seats in Parliament,” said a party observer.
The exco line up will be announced on Monday afternoon, following the swearing-in of the mentri besar earlier on the same day.
Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari is tipped to serve his second term as mentri besar, despite speculation that two other names were being considered – Seri Setia assemblyman Fahmi Ngah and Kota Anggerik representative Najwan Halimi. — August 18, 2023
