Ragindran aims to be fourth detainee to win in GE

GEORGE TOWN: S. Ragindran (pix) may be behind bars for a year under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) but that has not stopped him from contesting in the 14th general election.
He is in a four-cornered fight for the Pengkalan Kota state seat as an independent candidate. Also in the fray are Gooi Zi Sen from DAP, Lim Swee Bok from Barisan Nasional (BN), Koay Teng Lye from the Malaysian United People's Party and Chew Seng Tung from PRM.
Ragindran, 58, has his wife Saroja Devi and eldest son S. Myhessen who are campaigning on his behalf. They have hit the ground, advocating for change. They are also using social media to canvass for support.
His lawyer Datuk Syahril Rezwan submitted his nomination papers on Nomination Day, April 28.
Myhessen said his father did not support BN or Pakatan Harapan (PH), and hoped his father will be released if he were to win the seat.
His nephew S. Thanaraj said his uncle was well liked in his neighbourhood in Jalan Merdeka.
"He does not support any political parties as he is neutral. He just wishes to assist those in need of help," Thanaraj said.
The family recently marked his incarceration with a special prayer at a Taoist temple in Weld Quay.
The country had three election candidates who won under detention. DAP's M. Manoharan, who was also the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) legal adviser, was the last ISA detainee to win in the 2008 general election.
He won the Kota Alam Shah state seat with a 7,184-vote majority over incumbent Ching Su Chen of BN.
Two other ISA detainees were fielded as candidates in the 1978 general election. Chan Kok Kit and Chian Heng Kai won in the Sungai Besi and Batu Gajah parliamentary seats respectively. Chan had a whopping majority of 33,687 votes while Chian won by 6,281 votes.