Ex-Bersatu man Santhara may campaign for PN tomorrow

Former PKR and Bersatu politician Edmund Santhara Kumar has kept a low profile since withdrawing from politics last year.

PETALING JAYA: Former PKR and Bersatu politician Edmund Santhara Kumar is set to appear at Kuala Kubu Baharu tomorrow to campaign for Perikatan Nasional after withdrawing from politics last year.

Santhara had been roped in to help the opposition coalition gather more Indian support, said a source close to the former politician.

“He is very influential in Hulu Selangor especially during his days as a deputy federal territories minister, so that will benefit PN. Also Santhara is well known among the Indian community so it would be good for PN to attract Indian support,” the source told FMT.

Indian voters make up 18% of the constituency’s 40,226 voters.

The source also said Santhara will likely meet with many Indian influential leaders in Kuala Kubu Baharu. He is also expected to campaign around Kerling tomorrow at 4pm.

Santhara was among 11 MPs who followed Azmin Ali out of PKR following the Sheraton Move in 2020. Azmin is currently the Selangor PN chief.

Santhara joined Bersatu in 2020, becoming the first non-Bumiputera to join the party. He was later made the head of Bersatu’s associate wing in 2021. However, he quit the party in July the following year.

In the November 2022 general election, he had been expected to defend the Segamat parliamentary seat under the Parti Bangsa Malaysia banner, but withdrew at the last minute citing personal reasons. He has kept a relatively low profile since.

The Kuala Kubu Baharu seat fell vacant following the death of three-term DAP assemblyman Lee Kee Hiong on March 21. Polling is fixed for May 11.