KUALA LUMPUR – Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) decision to field Najwan Halimi for the Kota Anggerik state seat has ignited discontent among grassroots members due to his recent racially-tinged comments against the Indian community.
Speaking to Scoop, a DAP deputy branch chief expressed dissatisfaction with Najwan’s candidacy and urged the Shah Alam PKR Youth deputy chief to hold a press conference for a formal apology to those offended by his statements.
“Najwan’s apology (previously issued on social media platforms) is not enough. He should call for a press conference to apologise to us Indians.
“We must ensure such incidents are not repeated. Let this be the first and last time,” the deputy chief, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said.
While the grassroots members are willing to accept decisions made by PH leadership, they also emphasize the importance of leaders acknowledging and addressing concerns raised by those in lower positions.
“As grassroots, we have to follow our leaders’ decisions, but there must be a balance where grassroots voices are also taken care of by leaders,” he said.
Similarly, Kuala Selangor PKR Youth chief Sivabalan Mugunthan warned that Najwan’s candidacy might expose PH to attacks from rival Perikatan Nasional (PN) and other parties like Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) and Muda.
Sivabalan mentioned that during a PKR Youth meeting prior to Najwan’s nomination, the party’s wing chief, Adam Adli Abd Halim, responded positively when opposition towards Najwan’s candidacy was voiced.
“He (Adam) said that he would take the matter to (PKR’s) top management. We’re hoping for some good news, since there is still time before nomination day (on July 29),” Sivabalan said.
Mahendran Marimuthu, a PKR representative in the Klang Municipal Council, said Najwan’s comments have negatively impacted the public’s perception of PKR and its leadership.
“Anwar has been a fair prime minister and party leader. His people on the ground should not have made such remarks.
“We understand that he (Najwan) has apologized, but his comment has left an impact on the Indian community, especially those in his state constituency,” Mahendran added.
Nevertheless, Mahendran acknowledged that Najwan had gone through a vetting process before being announced as a candidate and deemed him an “acceptable choice.”
“The incident has already happened. Nevermind, we’ll forgive him. Let’s move on and leave it to the party authorities to make their decision,” he said.
As of press time, attempts by Scoop to contact Najwan for his comments have been unsuccessful.
During the 14th general election, Najwan secured the Kota Anggerik state seat with a 17,004-vote majority in a three-cornered fight.
Earlier this month, Najwan caused a ruckus when he labelled PSM as an “Indian estate party,” according to a screenshot of a PKR WhatsApp group, which circulated on social media and incited the ire of netizens.
Najwan subsequently released a statement claiming full responsibility over the matter while asserting that he is not a racist and cares for the people’s wellbeing regardless of race or religion. – July 24, 2023.