KUALA LUMPUR: P Prabakaran appears to be the top choice of voters in Batu where he is seeking a second term as the constituency’s MP in the 15th general election.
However it is because they want Pakatan Harapan to retain the parliamentary seat, which is the scene of a 10-cornered battle on Nov 19.
Although many approached by FMT acknowledged that Prabakaran was hardworking and approachable, the voters pointed out that he has the edge over the rest as he was with PKR.
Homemaker Ramani Ramasamy, a Sentul resident of 17 years, said Prabakaran was a good MP who was on the ground everywhere in Batu but one have to look at the bigger picture, which was to make PH the new government.
“If he was not in PKR, I may not vote for him because I am looking at the aim of getting PH to be the government, ” she said.
Batu resident Roger Suraj also said the party took precedence over the candidate. “The party comes first,” said the 54 year old who has lived in Sentul for 17 years.
Suraj said if Prabakaran stood as an independent, he would not vote for the latter.
Putting the party above the candidate had led Ramani and Suraj to back PKR in the past regardless of the candidate, and this included Prabakaran’s predecessor Tian Chua, who had served the constituency for two terms.
Shanti N, 55, a business owner and resident in Sentul, said the party made a difference. So it was a “plus point” that Prabakaran was in the right party.
“The party is important because we have to choose the right government ultimately,” she said, adding that she was also among those who voted for Tian Chua before, because he was in PKR.
Even residents who were unhappy with Prabakaran as their MP said they would vote for the party.
” I did not see much improvements in the area under him but I will vote for him to support the team he is with, ” said Elaine Tan, a business owner of 30 years at Jalan Ipoh.
The Batu seat is the scene of one of the most crowded contests in the general election, with four independent candidates, including Tian Chua, and candidates from all the major parties.
