Palanivel confident of Tenang’s Indian votes

January 02, 2011 Palanivel: There are 14 divisions and we have already received the list to identify the voters. — Picture by Choo Choy May LABIS, Jan 2 — MIC President Datuk G. Palanivel today expressed confidence that the party would be able to increase the Indian community’s support for Barisan Nasional (BN) during the Tenang by-election. Palanivel said since 1,100 of the 1,754 Indian voters in Tenang were members of MIC, there was every reason to be confident of their support for the by-election, scheduled on Jan 30. “Maybe there will be an increase in the number when the final electoral list is released. From the current list though, 1,100 of the 1,754 Indian voters registered in Tenang are MIC members. “There are 14 divisions and we have already received the list to identify the voters. We are confident of ensuring that all the registered voters will be able to come and cast their votes,” he told reporters here after launching the MIC election machinery for Tenang, here today. Palanivel said efforts were also being carried out to ensure about 80 Indian voters who are currently working or staying outside Johor or Tenang, to return and cast their votes on polling day. Meanwhile, the MIC president also wanted sensitive contents from the controversial book ‘Interlok’, removed from the Form Five Malay literature classes or have certain portions referring to caste systems removed. The book, written by Abdullah Hussein, highlights the daily struggles of individuals from three major races — Malays, ethnic Chinese and ethnic Indians — in the country before Independence, had sparked a row among Indians in the country.   “We are not asking for a total ban but remove the sensitive contents or text as it may turn out to be a racial issue,” he said. — Bernama