Vigneswaran, campaigning for DAP’s Pang Sock Tao, said Perikatan Nasional will not be able to do much for the community if its candidate, Khairul Azhari Saut, is elected since PN is not part of the state government.

“To solve problems, you need a representative from the government. Therefore, it would be best for voters to choose the unity government’s candidate,” he said at a press conference here today.

He expressed confidence that the unity government will be able to win the support of at least 80% of the Indian community.

“If the Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP) is confident of getting 50% of the Indian votes, I dare say we can get 80% of the Indian votes,” he said.

Yesterday, MIPP president P Punithan predicted that more than 50% of the Indian voters in Kuala Kubu Baharu would back the PN candidate because of discontent with the government.

MIPP officially joined PN last month.

Today, Punithan, a former Selangor MIC Youth leader, said it was time for Indian voters to be realistic about their community’s prospects under the unity government. He said many promises made have gone unfulfilled.

He also asked Vigneswaran if the unity coalition really had the support of MIC grassroots, hinting at discontent within the Barisan Nasional component towards Putrajaya.

“Maybe, MIC wants to sweet-talk Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim by saying the unity government will be able to win the support of at least 80% of the Indian community,” he said.

Former DAP leader P Ramasamy, who leads the Indian-based party Urimai, had said he would campaign against the PH candidate.

The by-election on May 11 will see a four-cornered fight among Pang, Khairul, Parti Rakyat Malaysia’s Hafizah Zainuddin and independent candidate Nyau Ke Xin.