Despite being in the opposition in Perak, PKR’s Hutan Melintang assemblyperson S Kesavan says he works to ensure all that can be done for his constituents.

Citing lack of job opportunities and poverty among the major problems plaguing the area, Kesavan said he would try to solve them through his letters to the relevant state government agencies or bringing these up during state assembly sittings.

“Every day I help the poor people, using my earnings. Every month I spend about RM5,000 from my salary for basic needs (for the people), such as food,” he told Malaysiakini.

Kesavan was responding to a local voter, N Nadarajan, who claimed that although the assemblyperson regularly attends local functions, Kesavan would cite the lack of funds to do things for the local community.

Meanwhile, citing the announcement of the RM1.3 billion allocation to develop Bagan Datuk - under which Hutan Melintang falls – Kesavan (photo) expressed hope that the people’s economy would improve, in line with the various projects announced.

Commenting on a candidacy survey commissioned by Nadarajan and fellow Hutan Melintang voter P Moorthy, which found MIC’s M Saravanabavan - a practising lawyer and an adjunct professor of law who has been offering free legal aid to the community for the past two years – coming out victorious, Kesavan claimed that “he has never heard of him (Saravanabavan)”.

“This Moorthy is a pro-Barisan Nasional guy. This group is pro-BN, so of course whatever their opinion is will favour the BN guy,” Kesavan added.

Nadarajan has insisted that both he and Moorthy are not members of any political party, that they are politically independent and are merely concerned citizens.

The survey, conducted in January this year, focused on youth candidacy, professional qualification, post-graduate education and research experience, among others, of the potential state assembly candidates for Hutan Melintang in the coming general election.

Nadarajan also explained that the respondents chose their favoured candidates through these criteria. They were not told the names of candidates as well as the parties they come from.

Apart from Saravanabavan, other candidates whose criteria were featured in the survey were incumbent Kesavan, Perak PKR strategy director Madhi Hassan and Perak MIC chairperson V Elango.

Kesavan confident of keeping seat

Despite the results of the survey, Kesavan remains confident of maintaining almost 70 percent support from voters in the area.

“Because I’m with the people everyday and I’m a local boy. I was born here.

“As the incumbent, I have been doing as much as I can in the last two terms as the opposition representative, without any funds,” he said.

Should his party decide to field him again in the next general election, Kesavan said, he has “the full confidence of the voters, who know me very well”.

He added: “They know my character, my principles in politics. I strongly believe that in this coming election, I will maintain the seat.”

Voters, Kesavan said want change, but not in the name of ‘Kesavan’, but in terms of the government.

“They want to change the government because the cost of living is very high. They will support who represents the change, not the party,” he said.

A predominantly Malay and Indian area, most Hutan Melintang residents work as fishermen and as plantation workers.

In the last general election, Kesavan garnered 10,155 votes, defeating BN’s R Supramaniam and Berjasa’s Azahari Abdullah as well as independent candidate Mat Sidi Hashim. Kesavan obtained a 1,240-vote majority.