Sipping a kopi tarik at a coffeeshop along Jalan Air Molek yesterday morning, Johor butcher Roslan Adan made an interesting observation about the100-strong crowd of Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) supporters chanting slogans across the road.
"There are now more Indians supporting the opposition, even PAS," said Mr Roslan, a PAS member. "This has not happened before." He said religion is no longer a barrier for opposition supporters. In fact, the Indians seem to have adopted the roles of opposition cheerleaders in Johor, no matter what their religious affiliations.
Yesterday, at the three nomination centres across Johor that Today visited, it was the Indians who led opposition supporters in a face-off with their Barisan Nasional (BN) rivals. The crowd that gathered outside the Dewan Jubli Intan nomination centre in support of PAS candidate Abdullah Idris had many Indians supporters, some holding the green PAS flag and yelling anti-BN slogans. Compared with their Malay fellow supporters, the Indians were spirited, punching the air and leading chants.
"They are still angry over the Hindraf issue and the temple incident," said Mr Roslan.
The crackdown on and prosecution of Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) members, and the demolition of an Indian temple near Klang last November have angered Indians, despite a belated apology from Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak over the temple demolition.
The opposition is using these incidents as ammunition against the ruling party and political watchers warn that Indian votes would swing in favour of the opposition.
At Ulu Tiram, a BN stronghold where PAS is fielding a non-Muslim female candidate for the first time, about 150 opposition supporters held flags and boards and chanted slogans in support of law graduate Kumutha Raman, 29.
"BN! Barang Naik! (Malay for, 'prices are going up')", shouted an Indian in his early 30s, leading supporters from PAS and Parti Keadilan Rakyat.
Fifty metres away, an equal number of BN supporters responded with chants and songs.
Said store officer and PAS supporter Muthu Samy: "We feel sad about what happened to the Hindraf activists. They are not terrorists; they are only demanding rights for Hindus.
"Surely, you can see a greater number of people from different races supporting the opposition now. This is one election to watch," said Mr Muthu, 42.
Over at Skudai, where Democratic Action Party (DAP) state chief Dr Boo Cheng Hau is gunning for a state seat against Mr Teo Kok Chee of BN component party Gerakan, an even larger number of opposition supporters turned up.
Things turned ugly when several BN supporters on motorcycles took a wrong turn into a lane where a large opposition crowd had gathered. They were beaten with flagpoles as they tried to pass through but the row was stopped by some PAS supporters, who cleared the way for the BN supporters to leave.
Skudai resident and shopkeeper Kunitha Mariappas already knows who she and her husband will vote for. "We are fed up with the MIC (Malaysian Indian Congress, a BN partner) because they have done nothing to help us," said Mdm Kunitha, 38. "Many of my Indian customers are also going to vote for the opposition to show their anger." -
PEOPLE'S POWER
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