SEREMBAN: Despite not contesting in the Negri Sembilan polls, Parti Punjabi Malaysia has been actively campaigning for Barisan Nasional candidates.
State chairman Paramjit Singh Mejer said the party is an affiliate under the “Friends of BN” umbrella and remains committed to supporting Barisan even though it is not an official component party.
The party, he said, had confidence in the coalition’s governance formula.
Paramjit said the decision to be with Barisan was also because as a small minority community, its voice can sometimes go unheard.
“We are not asking for any special treatment.
“All that we are hoping for is fair recognition, meaningful engagement and the opportunity to contribute our perspectives to the development of the state,” he said when met while campaigning for Barisan’s candidate for the Seremban Jaya seat, Datuk R. Thinalan.
He said the Punjabi community has been part of Negri Sembilan’s social, economic and cultural fabric for generations.
“Like every other community, our aspirations are simple; a stable government, a strong economy, quality education, opportunities for our youth, dignified care for our senior citizens, efficient public services and a state where every citizen has the opportunity to succeed,” he said.
For this reason, he said the party believed the time had come for the community to have direct representation within the state’s consultative and decision-making processes.
Despite not fielding a candidate, Paramjit expressed hope that qualified members of the Punjabi community would be considered for appointments within the state government and its agencies, including positions where they can contribute to policy development and community engagement.
