KUALA LUMPUR, April 27 — Barisan Nasional's (BN) chances of winning the Bukit Gelugor parliamentary seat in the May 25 by-election will depend on the charisma of the candidate, says former MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu.
The former MIC president who is now the Malaysian Special Envoy to India and South Asia said the rakyat would also look at what benefits the party could offer them before they can decide who would be the better choice to represent them.
“When they have been selected as candidate, people will be watching how they would react, how they would attract them and champion their wishes,” he told Bernama here today.
The Bukit Gelugor seat fell vacant following the death of its incumbent Karpal Singh from the DAP, in a road accident at Km306.1 of the North-South Expressway, near Gua Tempurung in Kampar, Perak on April 17.
In the 13th General Election last year, Karpal beat MCA candidate Teh Beng Yeam by a 41,778-vote majority to retain the seat.
The Election Commission at its special meeting on April 24, fixed May 12 for nomination, May 21 for early voting and May 25 for polling.
Earlier he launched a book titled 'Kailash Darshan', which shares the unique environment and experience one would encounter on the journey to the snowy Himalayan peaks, Mount Kailash, located in a remote part of south-west Tibet, China.
Speaking about the book, Samy Vellu said the author Kailai Karul has opened a new destination and interest for Malaysian tourists to visit Mount Kailash that offers peace and time for prayers.
“I will speak to the Minister of Tourism (Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz) to have more exchange of tourists from Malaysia, India and Nepal,” Samy Vellu said stating that it could also create interesting opportunities for Hindu devotees to not just visit India but to pray as well.
Mount Kailash is a religious place which is regarded sacred by four religions - Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and Tibetan religion of Bön.
Meanwhile, Kailai Karul said it took him five years to complete the book which comprised 121 pages and 144 pictures, written in both English and Tamil.
“I decided to publish a book about Mount Kailash because not many know of its location, and to describe to the readers what to expect and preparations needed if they wished to embark on this holy journey,” he said. — Bernama
