KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 14): Barisan Nasional (BN) might have remained in power in 2018 if former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had sat out the elections, according to MIC deputy president Datuk Seri M Saravanan.

In a report on Monday (Nov 14), Free Malaysia Today (FMT) quoted Saravanan saying in an interview that Najib’s image problem was a contributing factor to the shift in support among Indian voters away from BN.

“If only he’d declared that he wasn’t contesting, maybe, I think BN would have retained power. But Najib’s position, 1MDB, the goods and services tax and many other issues were played up by the opposition, so the Indians shifted,” Saravanan told FMT.

The MIC leader said Indian support had shifted back in BN’s favour during the Melaka and Johor state elections.

“They felt, I think, that a known devil is better than an unknown angel. That’s why they supported us in Melaka and Johor,” he said.

The parliamentary elections on Nov 19 would show the opposition facing the same fate, with more support reverting to BN, he said.

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