Incumbent Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo has challenged MIC and BN candidates to state their stand on Perkasa vice-president Zulkifli Noordin's candidacy in the Shah Alam parliamentary seat.
Gobind, who is from the DAP, asked the MIC and BN candidates to declare their stand on caretaker Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's choice of Zulkifli to contest under the BN ticket
He described Najib's choice of Zulkifli, the former Kulim-Bandar Baharu MP, as a tight slap in the face for the MIC and all other Indian leaders in the BN.
"All this while, there have been calls by various quarters in the MIC for action to be taken against the likes of Ridhuan Tee Abdullah for insensitive remarks made against the Indian community.
"Even MIC leader S Vell Paari had threatened to quit MIC for Ridhuan's remarks if no action was taken."
"In light of this, we still see Najib, who has wooed the Indian community using the catchphrase 'nambikei' (trust), acting in complete disregard of the feelings of the Indian community by fielding Zulkifli, a Perkasa man, as his 'transformation candidate' in Shah Alam," Gobind added.
'Manifestation of the BN transformation'
Najib yesterday named Zulkifli, formerly of PAS and now a BN-friendly candidate, to stand against incumbent Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad of PAS. Selangor BN coordinator Md Zin Mohamed called this a manifestation of the coalition's transformational plans.
Of the 100,076 voters in the Shah Alam constituency, 14 percent are from the Indian community.
Zulkifli is no stranger to controversy as he was caught in a video insulting the Indian community over his remarks to a man selling idols of Hindu deities after his shop was hit by floods.
Several opposition leaders, including PKR vice-president N Surendran, have
decried
the video, describing it as "grossly insulting and ridiculing Hindus and their religion".
The controversial politician apologised for the remarks but Hindu groups are upset that no action has been taken against Zulkifli.
The MIC and all BN candidates must make a stand on this matter, Gobind said.
"The BN cannot blow hot and cold and now ask Malaysians to support it.
"If MIC remains quiet, which in all probability it will because it doesn't have the guts to stand up to Umno in defence of the Indian community, then Vell Paari ( above ) must do what he threatened by quitting MIC and calling on all Indians not to support BN in this election," Gobind added.
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