Party President Dr S. Subramaniam said this to reporters after chairing a Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting at the party headquarters here yesterday.

Touching on the restructuring of the Cabinet, Dr Subramaniam hoped Prime Minister Najib Razak will consider the party’s request to increase the number of ministers and deputy ministers.

Now, there are vacancies in the Cabinet following the resignation of Douglas Uggah Embas as Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities and the death of his deputy the late Noriah Kasnon in a helicopter crash on May 5.

Commenting on the by-elections for the parliamentary constituencies of Kuala Kangsar, Perak, and Sungai Besar, Selangor, Dr Subramaniam said he was confident 80 per cent of Indians in the two areas will support the BN candidate.

“In Sungai Besar, we have 820 Indian voters and in Kuala Kangsar there are 2,299 Indian voters. We have prepared the machinery and will identify all voters this week,” he said.

The Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar parliamentary seats fell vacant following the deaths of incumbent Noriah Kasnon and Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad in a helicopter crash in Sebuyau, Sarawak on May 5.

The Election Commission had announced that the Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar by-elections will be held simultaneously on June 18 and nomination day for both parliamentary seats has been fixed for June 5.

– BERNAMA