Rantau polls: Indie candidate Malar on 'silent protest' during walkabout

SEREMBAN: Independent candidate Malar Rajaram's lips were clasped tight by a white clothespin as she walked around the Rantau night market near here for her first walkabout as a candidate. 

Without a single word, the 51-year-old former radio host, who is on a two-day "silent strike", quietly handed out name cards to the traders to promote herself in the Rantau by-election. 

When the clothespin hurt her mouth too much, she switched to using a bright green tape featuring patterns of a lone black sheep surrounded by its white counterparts. 

Everything about the petite Malar seemed to scream symbolism, from her self-imposed gag order which ends on Monday (April 1), to her campaign setup. 

"I'm on a silent protest because Pakatan Harapan did not let its candidate to speak much during the Semenyih by-election and similarly, Barisan Nasional did the same with its candidate in the Cameron Highlands by-election. 

"As candidates, we must speak. The people want to hear what candidates have to say. I want to show that when they're not allowed to speak, then people won't know what's going on. It's not just the top leaders who should speak," she told reporters during her walkabout at the night market on Sunday (March 31).

Malar said she decided to contest in the four-cornered Rantau by-election as she was incensed with remarks made by politicians in the Semenyih by-election whereby non-Malay ministers were branded as pendatang (immigrants) and "penumpang". 

"If they are being called as penumpang, how long will it take for others to say the same about me? I'm not a penumpang. I live here and my grandfather was born here, my father too. My great grandfather died here. 

"Secondly, I feel that it was wrong that the candidates in the previous by-elections were not allowed to speak," said Malar, who returned to Rantau from Canada in 2016 to take care of her ailing mother. 

She said she also decided to contest as she was unhappy with Barisan for allowing its supporters especially youngsters to promote the “Malu Apa BossKu (Why the shame, boss)” campaign.

"I don't think it's a good idea to instil that in young people because we want them to have good moral," said Malar, who used to present Kampung Ku Radio, a Malay language programme in Toronto, Canada, for 15 years. 

Malar, who is using the tree as her logo in the Rantau by-election, also left her bank account number on the name cards to appeal for public donations as she was currently using her own savings to contest. 

"So far I have not received any donations. But if the people believe in my cause, then they can donate to me. I will be transparent about the amount as this involves public funds," said Malar, who would be revealing her campaign manifesto on Tuesday (April 2).

The Rantau polling day on April 13 will see Malar facing off against Barisan candidate Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Pakatan candidate Dr S. Streram and independent candidate Mohd Nor Yassin. 

The by-election was triggered following a Federal Court decision to uphold an earlier ruling by the Election Court to nullify the results for Rantau.

In GE14, Umno deputy president Mohamad, who was a three-term Rantau assemblyman, won the state seat unopposed after Dr Streram was denied entry to submit his nomination papers as he did not have a tag or a pass.

Election Court judge Azimah Omar allowed Dr Streram's petition for a by-election on the grounds that Mohamad's election victory was not valid.