The NGO believes that Vell Paari is the right man for the job as opposed to S Murugesan or S Sothinathan.
PETALING JAYA: A local Indian-based NGO wants Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to pick S Vell Paari, MIC’s strategy director and son of former president S Samy Vellu, as the Barisan Nasional candidate for the Teluk Kemang parliamentary seat.
Persatuan Belia Pemangkin Bangsa dan Negara Port Dickson chairman K Ravindran said instead of choosing between MIC secretary-general S Murugesan and former vice-president S Sothinathan, Teluk Kemang voters “would prefer” Vell Paari.
“Vell Paari is more vibrant and outspoken. He also has strong influence in getting things done. It is better for him to contest in Teluk Kemang instead of the other two,” he told FMT today.
Sothinathan became the Teluk Kemang MP following a by-election in 2000. He retained the seat in the 2004 general election but lost the constituency in the 2008 polls.
Murugesan on the other hand contested the Subang parliamentary constituency in 2008 and lost.
Ravindran said Vell Paari had a better chance of winning back the seat especially since PKR would contest the seat on the opposition front.
Incumbent PKR man Kamarul Baharin Abbas is expected to contest the seat for the second term at the forthcoming general election.
Sothinathan has been keeping a low profile since his defeat. Sources said he has been quietly serving the constituency.
“Since he lost in the general election he has been missing. But now out of nowhere he appears just before the election. We do not want these kind of people who have lost their respective seats, and also credibility,” he added.
On Murugesan, Ravindran said voters were not keen in having the MIC secretary-general as the Teluk Kemang member of parliament.
“Murugesan and his team, should concentrate in Subang which his original constituency instead of jumping to a safe seat,” he added.
Meanwhile, Vell Paari declined to contest the seat.
“First and foremost I thank those who want me to stand but I have made it clear in early 2011 that I have turned down the offer to run as a MP, for I believe being independent of this position will give me the freedom to voice and effect changes within MIC and BN.
“And to those who keep advising that I should join Pakatan Rakyat, I must say I am a BN member and will always remain as one.
“If there are issues within my house, it’s my duty to fix it and not burn my house down. I believe dissent is not disloyalty,” he said.
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