Marketing manager L Sarala is confident that she would triumph over her 14 other rivals in the Bukit Selambau state constituency by-election next Tuesday.

And she firmly believed that she would be able to attract all the female voters to cast for her. This judgment is based on the fact that she is the only woman contestant for the race.

Women make up of some 60 percent of the Bukit Selambau's 35,140 registered voters, comprising 50.2 percent Malays, Indians 29.5 per cent and Chinese 19.3 percent and one percent others.

bukit selambau independent candidate l sarala visit hindraf thanethiran 030409 03 "Women voters showed tremendous support to me where ever I went. They gave me a lot of encouragement.

"I believe I could garner their votes more than other candidates," she told Malaysiakini .

And if that pledges from the women voters are turned into real votes, Sarala believes she would emerge victorious next week.

She said this after visiting warded Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) national coordinator RS Thanenthiran, who is seeking treatment at a private hospital in Penang since Saturday after suffering a minor heart attack.

Sarala made the visit after taking a brief break from her campaigning in Bukit Selambau last night.

bukit selambau independent candidate l sarala visit hindraf thanethiran 030409 02 Thanenthiran has been receiving a steady stream of visitors since he was hospitalised, including visits from Penang deputy chief minister (2) Dr P Ramasamy, MIC president S Samy Vellu, deputy president S Subramaniam, Pakatan parliamentarian S Manikavasagam, and PAS vice-president Husam Musa.

The Bukit Selambau by-election has created a record number of candidates contesting - 15 in all, including 13 independent candidates.

Open to invitation from political parties

Sarala, the 33-year-old former People's Progressive Party Kedah wanita leader, was the first person to announce her intention to contest the seat as an independent.

bukit selambau by election chua soi lek mca s ganesan dinner event 300309 01 S Manikumar from PKR and MIC's S Ganesan ( photo: right ) are the main rivals in the by-election.

The by-election was called after its PKR elected representative V Arumugam resigned on Feb 9, citing personal problems and intense pressure from certain groups to join BN.

Sarala also revealed that she would consider joining a political party if she wins the by-election, provided that the political affiliation would safeguard and enhance her political agenda.

Among her demands are to secure the release of all Internal Security Act detainees in Kamunting, Taiping, including the five Hindraf leaders.

She also wants the government to implement development programmes to benefit the needy, equal distribution of wealth among all people and assist marginalised groups in the country.

bukit selambau state seat kedah 110209 She said she had not joined any political party since resigning from PPP last November because "no parties have convinced her yet that her political wishes would be fulfilled".

She disagreed with a suggestion that the presence of a large pool of independent candidates in Bukit Selambau could be a case of ‘too many cooks spoiling the broth'.

"It shows many people in Bukit Selambau are unhappy with both BN and Pakatan Rakyat.

"This would benefit the independent candidates," she said, adding that her service track record in the constituency over the years was a value-added attribute to her electoral campaign.

"People are matured to choose the best. I believe I have the best chance among the independent candidates to win," Sarala stressed confidently.