Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara said both DAP and PKR have neglected the community.

“DAP took Indian support for granted for years and the voters moved to PKR.

“Now they feel they are the minority in PKR and their dissatisfaction seems to be higher now than it was when they were in DAP,” he told FMT.

Azmi said the disillusionment was apparent at the Meru by-election two years ago when PH, despite winning the Selangor state seat, lost a significant portion of the Indian vote.

“That is why DAP may be revitalising efforts to gain back the trust of the community,” he told FMT.

Earlier this week, Penang DAP deputy chief Ramkarpal Singh announced the revival of the state chapter’s Indian affairs bureau to address the pressing concerns of the community in the state.

Ramkarpal, the bureau’s chairman, said it would serve as a platform to tackle issues such as welfare, education and unemployment among the Indian population in Penang.

A PKR leader told FMT the Indian community has been disgruntled with his party for some time now as those assigned to look after their affairs have not fulfilled their responsibilities.

“Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has appointed Indian leaders in PKR to look after the community. Do you hear them voicing out the community’s grievances? No,” said the leader who asked not to be named.

Failure to keep electoral promises

Meanwhile, P Sivamurugan of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) said Penang DAP’s reactivation of the bureau is likely also aimed at countering the impact of Indian-based parties in the state.

“The Indian community is quiet and uncertain of government policies,” he told FMT, adding that promises made at the 2022 general election (GE15) to uplift the community have not been fulfilled.

He said political parties with Indian members and affiliate members should take time to understand and address the needs, grievances and demands of the community to secure its support.

J Paniirselvam, a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Sustainable Development Goals’ secretariat, said no party can claim to have the support of the Indian community.

“There is no single political party for Indians anymore. MIC once did a commendable job under initiatives like Yayasan Strategik Sosial, but now we see Indians spread across multiple parties.

“While this fragmentation can be seen as division, it is also a sign of political maturity,” he told FMT.