KUALA KUBU BARU: Using slander as a campaign strategy during elections only serves to hurt the community, says PKR deputy information chief, Datuk R. Ramanan.
He urged all parties to put an end to spreading political slander, and advised them against bringing up issues that had no bearing on the residents here, in the run-up to the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election on May 11.
Ramanan said candidates and political parties needed to address the genuine, everyday concerns of Kuala Kubu Baharu residents, as most issues being discussed by the political leaders now, were irrelevant to them.
"We should not allow this by-election to become a platform for national issues, for the propagation of slander against leaders, or criticism of aid distribution programmes.
"Our focus should be on issues pertinent to KKB and its voters," said the deputy Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives minister.
He told reporters this after a hi-tea event with the prime minister's wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, along with members of Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia.
Ramanan was responding to calls from former Klang Member of Parliament Charles Santiago, urging Indian political leaders to focus on solving community issues instead of constantly bickering, which he believed was impeding the progress of the Indian community in the area.
On April 28, former Penang deputy chief minister and interim council chairman of the new Indian-based party Urimai, P. Ramasamy, urged Indian voters to boycott Pakatan Harapan.